


Ricochet

by Buffyworldbuilder, lateVMlover (Buffyworldbuilder)



Series: The Ricochet Effect [1]
Category: Veronica Mars (TV)
Genre: F/M
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-11-18
Updated: 2021-02-12
Packaged: 2021-03-10 06:54:55
Rating: Mature
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 40
Words: 163,331
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/27619352
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Buffyworldbuilder/pseuds/Buffyworldbuilder, https://archiveofourown.org/users/Buffyworldbuilder/pseuds/lateVMlover
Summary: This is an AU set in season 2 over the summer when Logan and Veronica are still together. What if that day when the PCHers had shot out the back of Logan's car had a very different ending? What if Dick uncovered disturbing evidence of his brother's plans? Could he and Mac make a difference? LoVe all the way with Weevil a strong supporting player. A few chapters rated M.Disclaimer: I do not own Veronica Mars or the characters. Only this story is mine.
Relationships: Cindy "Mac" Mackenzie/Eli "Weevil" Navarro, Dick Casablancas/Cindy "Mac" Mackenzie, Logan Echolls/Veronica Mars
Series: The Ricochet Effect [1]
Series URL: https://archiveofourown.org/series/2019314
Comments: 134
Kudos: 90





	1. Innocent Bystander

**Author's Note:**

> This story was started in 2011, and I finished it in 2013. I am going through and editing it and posting it here, so you won't be waiting long for updates. It does have an entire completed sequel to it that I will go through and post next. IF you read this story before, here's your chance to re-read it. If you're new to Veronica Mars fandom, I have written a LOT of VM stories as it used to be the only thing I'd write. I will be editing and posting them on this site.

After a great date, Logan and Veronica had been making out in the back of his yellow monstrosity. "I'm falling in love with you, Veronica," Logan told her so earnestly.

His words had caused her heart to skip a beat. She didn't know if she was ready to say them back to him, but she knew his heartfelt confession warmed her soul. She smiled. "The things guys will say to get to second base," she said.

Then she leaned over and kissed him softly. His arms went around her. Suddenly, she heard a loud engine. Then glass shattered, and she felt a sharp pain. "Logan," she gasped in pain and shock. A burning sensation was in her shoulders.

Logan sat up in surprise at the crash of the broken glass. When Veronica said his name, he looked at her in horror as blood appeared on her shirt. The bullet that had shot out his back window had pierced her from behind. She was scared and looked to him for help. Determined to not let her down, he pulled out his phone and dialed her house, knowing the former Sheriff, her father, would be up and waiting up for her. He told Keith what happened. Keith told him he'd be right out.

Keith came running out in a panic. The news of his little girl being hurt shook him to his core. The escalating fighting between the 09ers and the PCHers had finally crossed that line. Anger at both Logan and the gang coursed through him. His anger was apparent to Logan, but Logan was too scared and worried about Veronica to even let it bother him.

When Keith examined his daughter, he decided it would be better for her to drive quickly to the ER rather than wait for an ambulance. "We don't want to waste any time. She's losing blood. Apply pressure, and I'll drive," Keith ordered.

They got to the hospital in less than ten minutes. Keith carried her in with Logan by his side. Logan couldn't believe this was happening. He knew that he was to blame for this. Whoever shot out the back of his car was trying to scare him. He didn't know if the PCHers really wanted him dead. He had trouble seeing Weevil as a killer, but he knew that the entire gang was angry at him for Felix's death. The fact that his memory was a bit foggy about the events the night Felix was murdered didn't help his case in their estimation. His father being unmasked at Lilly's killer added to their dim view of him and their willingness to believe the worst.

The doctors took Veronica in for surgery, unwilling to give a prognosis without examining her further. She'd been crying silent, stoic tears. The tears tore at both men. They headed to the lobby to wait. Keith called the station to report what had happened and get Lamb out to his place to begin the investigation. He couldn't do anything until he found out what happened. He told the dispatcher that Logan was at the hospital.

Keith hung up and looked grimly at Logan. "Deputies will be here in a bit to question you, Logan. Before they get here, you're going to tell me exactly what happened," Keith ordered.

After Logan told him what had occurred, Keith looked at him harshly a few minutes before speaking. "This has got to stop, Logan. My daughter, your girlfriend, got hurt tonight in this war you've got going with the PCHers. Innocent people will continue to get hurt if you don't find a way to end this. If you care about Veronica at all, you'll find a way to stop things like this from happening," Keith said.

Logan looked both upset and ashamed. Keith knew that Logan genuinely cared about his daughter. He also knew that his life had been a total nightmare the past two years. Between his mother's suicide and his father jailed as the killer of his late girlfriend, Keith couldn't help but have some compassion for Logan. However, Veronica was the most important thing in his life; his reason for getting up each and every day. No one would hurt her or endanger her if he had anything to say about it.

Logan knew Keith was right. He had to find a way to stop things from going any escalating any further. Veronica was the only good thing left in his nightmare existence. He couldn't lose her, nor could he bare to see her hurt again. When the doctor came in later to let them know she was going to be okay, both men sagged in relief. The bullet had been lodged in her shoulder and wasn't life threatening. However, she would need to stay overnight and be monitored. The doctor said they could see her in a half an hour after she got wheeled into her own room.

Logan sat down and put his head between his knees, breathing deep. She was going to live—he could breathe again. How did things come to this point? He looked up at Keith. "I promise you that I will talk to Weevil and find a way to end this. I love your daughter. I don't want to lose her. She's the only good thing in my life," Logan told him.

Keith could tell that he was sincere and hoped he meant it. He also knew that Weevil was a friend of sorts to Veronica. Weevil probably didn't intend for her to be hurt if he even had been behind what happened.

Logan was busy giving a statement to the police when they were told Veronica was in her own room. After fifteen more minutes of answering the same questions over and over, he'd had enough. "Look, I've told you all I know. We both know Veronica wasn't the target. I was. We both know it's either because of my dad and what he did or it's because of the PCHers and Felix's murder. Since it was motorcycles driving off, my money is on the PCHers," Logan said. "I want to go see my girlfriend who just got out of surgery. There's nothing else I can tell you."

Sacks knew the boy was scared and upset. Most of the guys at the department didn't care much for the Echolls kid because of his arrogant attitude and who his dad was. However, Sacks had always loved Veronica and knew that she wouldn't waste time on a guy who wasn't worthy, so he was inclined to look favorably on Logan. "Okay. That's enough for now. We've impounded your car for evidence. Come by the station tomorrow, and we'll be able to tell you how soon you can have it back," he told Logan.

Logan was relieved to have the questioning over. He had enough of answering questions by men in badges to last him a lifetime. Anxious to see Veronica, he headed to the room Keith told her she was in.

When he went into her room, she was awake. Keith was holding her hand and talking to her. She gave Logan a tired smile when he came in. "Hey," Logan said.

"I told you that yellow monstrosity was an eye sore. You should listen to me. Someone else must've thought the same thing," she joked.

Logan tried to smile at her attempt at humor but couldn't. Keith took pity on him and left the room, giving them some privacy. Logan sat down in the chair next to her bed and grabbed her hand.

"I am so sorry, Veronica. This is my fault. I should've listened to you when you told me things would end badly if we didn't stop," Logan said.

"It's okay, Logan. You didn't do this. I just can't believe Weevil would do such a thing," Veronica said.

"I don't know. He knows we're dating, and he knows where you live. Would he be a part of something that could hurt you?" Logan asked.

"No, he wouldn't. You're right. He would have known that I could've been in the car since it was parked right in front of my apartment building," she said.

"I promised your dad I'd talk to him and find a way to end the fighting," Logan told her.

"That's good. You're starting to scare me. I can't be with a guy who is going to be a part of retaliations and constant wars with a violent gang," she said. "I'm all my dad has. He shouldn't have to see me like this. We have enough hospital bills."

"It happened in my car. I have full coverage. I know my parents' insurance will cover your medical bills. I'll make sure," Logan offered. He faltered a moment, remembering he now only had one living parent—if Aaron could even be called that. "I'll call the insurance company tomorrow and find out."

Veronica didn't like to accept charity, but she did feel that he had some liability for what happened to her. If he hadn't encouraged Dick and the 09ers to constantly defend him to the PCHers at every turn, they may not be so angry. Then again, they were convinced he killed Felix. Logan wasn't even sure that he had not. Veronica figured since he had been surrounded by most of the gang and beat so severely his actions would be self-defense anyway. If Aaron had not tried to kill her and hadn't been arrested for killing Lilly, the D.A. probably wouldn't have even filed charges against Logan. He was, in so many ways, a victim of circumstances. Sadly, so was she. They were a sad pair. Yet she didn't know what she'd do if he wasn't by her side.

"Well, us Mars don't take charity, but since I blame your yellow car for being a neon bulls-eye, I'll let you find out about the insurance," she said with a smile. Her eyes closed for a moment. She was so tired.

"Is your dad going to stay with you tonight?" Logan asked. When Veronica nodded, he said, "Well, I'm going to leave you and go find Weevil. I need to talk to him before this gets out, and then go talk to Dick. I don't want things to escalate."

"Good idea," she said.

He got up and kissed her softly. "I'll be here first thing in the morning," he promised.

"You'd better," she warned.

Logan said goodbye and headed out. He saw Keith about to come back in and explained where he was going. Keith patted him on the back in encouragement, happy that Logan wasn't thinking payback but wanted to do what was best for Veronica.

Logan left the hospital and drove straight to Weevil's. Since his grandmother worked for him, he knew exactly where Weevil lived. Once, he'd driven Mrs. Navarro home. Weevil was surprised to see him. "What do you want, Echolls?" he asked.

"Guess where I just came from?" Logan asked angrily. For once, not wasting time on insults and banter.

"I don't know, and I don't care," Weevil said dismissively.

"Oh, I think you might. I just came from the hospital," Logan said.

Weevil examined him and didn't see any signs of injury. He looked questioningly at Logan. "And?"

"And since my mom is dead, my dad in jail, who else might cause me to go to the hospital?" Logan asked pointedly.

Finally, he had Weevil's interest. "V? Is she okay?" he asked. Veronica Mars wasn't like other girls. She was tiny and sexy and fearless. He both admired her and desired her. The only flaw she had that he could see was her taste in men. Even though he knew they'd never work as a couple, he hated to see her wasted on Echolls.

"She is now. No thanks to you," Logan said bitterly.

"What?" Weevil asked in confusion.

"We were parked in front of her apartment building a few hours ago when a motorcycle pulled up behind us and shot out the back of my car. She was shot," Logan informed him.

"Hell no!" Weevil exclaimed. "My boys wouldn't do anything to hurt her!"

"Who else would it be, Weevil?" Logan asked. "Everyone knows my yellow truck. Everyone knows I'm dating Veronica. That's the only reason I'd be in an 02 neighborhood. Shooting my car is bound to endanger her. I thought you were her friend."

"I am. And I didn't authorize a hit of any kind on you," Weevil swore.

"So exactly who is leading the PCHers these days then?" Logan inquired. "Are you still in charge?"

That's exactly what Weevil wanted to know. "I'll get to the bottom of this," Weevil said. "If it was one of my boys, I'll know."

"Things have gotten out of hand," Logan. "It's got to stop. Veronica is okay, but she got shot in the shoulder and had surgery. She could've been killed. Is that what you want? Some innocent bystander to die because your determined to think I'm a killer. First it was Lilly and now Felix. I am _not_ my father. Ask your grandmother. She's known me for years."

Weevil examined Logan closely. He seemed sincere, but Weevil didn't trust easily. However, he knew Echolls had a point. Things were getting out of hand. He would get to the bottom of it. If someone else was ordering hits on Logan, then maybe someone else killed Felix after all.

"Don't worry. I'll find out and deal with it. I don't want to see Veronica hurt. My only complaint against her is her lousy taste in men," Weevil baited.

Logan ignored the jab. "You talk to your boys; I'll go talk to mine before someone else does something stupid. I'll be back over here tomorrow night, so we can talk further," Logan told him.

Weevil nodded. Both men now had a common goal. They'd find a way to get along. For now.

`````Chapter End`````

_Comment if you want! Thanks for reading!_


	2. Making a Plan

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> I do plan on using the show's timeline as a skeleton frame for this story. However, just not having Logan escalate the fight with the PCHers and LoVe not breaking up, already changes the direction of the season a whole lot. This is a major Weevil story as I create a very unique Weevil/Logan dynamic not seen in many stories. Actually, I’ve never read a fanfiction that will do what I will do in this series. If you hate Weevil, you might become a fan! If you’re already a Weevil fan, you will LOVE this series.

****** _Weevil*****_

As soon as Logan left his grandma's house, Weevil got out his phone and called Hector. He told him to spread the word to all the gang. He needed to meet them all in an hour at the usual location. He hung up the phone, confident that his words would be obeyed. Weevil didn't know what was happening in his own gang anymore. Felix was like a brother to him, and everyone else liked him, too. He was fun loving and mostly easy going. Weevil knew that Felix's popularity wasn't appreciated by everyone. Some didn't like the fact that Weevil looked to Felix as his number two. If Echolls was telling the truth and he hadn't killed Felix, could jealousy be the reason Felix was killed? Weevil didn't know, but he was going to find out.

An hour later, he faced his brothers. They waited expectantly for what he wanted to say.

"We've got a problem. Do any of you think Felix meant nothing to me?" he demanded.

The guys looked at each other in confusion. Weevil continued, "Does anyone here doubt my loyalty to Felix or this gang? I want to know. Let's get it out in the open."

Hector spoke up. "Of course not, Weevil. You always have our back, and Felix was your brother," he said. Everyone knew they were as close as brothers.

"So do you trust me to find out who killed him and see them punished?" he asked.

"We're going to get that 09er!" someone from the back shouted.

"Is that so? Did someone decide to take action against Echolls without my authorization?" Weevil demanded, annoyance apparent in his voice.

The boys looked at each other. Then Thumper stepped up. "Me and Ricky thought we'd scare him tonight when we saw his car parked outside of an 02 apartment building," he shared confidently, proud of his initiative.

"Oh, you did, huh?" Weevil asked and stepped up to him. Thumper daring to take action without his permission was a slap in the face, and everyone knew it. "So, Sherlock, did you stop to think that his girlfriend, an 02er, might be in the car? Did it occur to you that you might actually shoot someone and that someone might not be Echolls?"

Thumper and Ricky looked surprised and a bit dismayed. They all knew how fond Weevil was of one particular 02er, Lilly Kane's best friend.

"Veronica Mars was in the car?" Hector asked. He glanced in disgust at Thumper and Ricky.

"Yes, she was. Guess where she's at now? The hospital. She'll live, but she could've been killed," Weevil said. He got close to Thumper and pulled back and decked him hard in the jaw. "I'm the leader here, Thumper. If you want to challenge me, you need to do so now. Quit being a snake and going behind my back and making decisions. That's the act of a coward, and the PCH will have no cowards in our ranks!" He locked eyes with Thumper, daring him to voice a challenge or protest. Thumper remained silent; he looked away. Weevil stepped back and faced the entire group. "Veronica Mars is our ally. She helped me when my own family set me up. She's one of the few who doesn't look down on us. Just because she is foolish enough to be blinded by Echolls charm, does _not_ mean she is our enemy!"

Ricky quickly apologized. "We're sorry, man. Mars is cool. I didn't want to hurt her. I figured they were inside. The car was sitting there parked with the engine off. We didn't think," he said.

"That's right—you didn't think," Weevil said scornfully. "I'm supposed to be doing the thinking for you. That's why you put me in charge, remember? The next time any of you see an 09er parked in any neighborhood, I forbid any type of action without my authorization! Is that clear?"

His boys nodded and a few of them said okay. Someone called out, "What about Echolls? He needs to pay for what happened to Felix."

This was the delicate part. Weevil wasn't yet in any position to excuse Logan or share his doubts about one of their own with the group as a whole. "We need to find out for sure that he is the one," he told them.

"What do you mean?" Thumper asked. "Of course, it was him. Who else would it be?"

"We have a lot of enemies," Weevil replied calmly. "Who's to say that someone wasn't following us that night and saw an opportunity? I was knocked out; there was a lot of confusion going on. Echolls was hurt pretty badly. He's a spoiled, skinny, rich kid. Do any of you really think he could get the jump on Felix so easily?"

That thought had never occurred to some of them. Weevil had a point, and they were now unsure. Exactly, the way he wanted. He continued. "I have a plan. We'll get Echolls to tell the truth one way or another. In a few days, some of you will get a call from me. I don't want any action to take place until then. Is that understood? I'll find out the truth. I promise."

His boys looked at him with trust. They knew he'd do the right thing. Satisfied, Weevil dismissed them. Tomorrow night, he'd share his plan with Echolls. He wasn't going to like it, but it was the only thing that would appease his boys and get them to back off for a while.

_ *****LoVe***** _

The next day Logan went to see Veronica as soon as he got up. He stopped to get some coffees and bear claws. When he got into her room, he saw Keith dozing in the chair while she changed the channels on the muted TV. She smiled warmly at him when he came in.

"There's my sugar daddy!" she exclaimed. "Did you bring me some sugar?"

He walked to the other side of her bed and kissed her cheek. "That's not the kind of sugar I was talking about," she complained. He grinned and handed her the bag. She opened it with pleasure.

Her cries of ecstasy woke her dad. Keith examined their visitor through hooded eyes. "Good morning, Logan," he said.

"Good morning," Logan replied. He gave Keith one of the coffees that he'd brought, and Keith thanked him.

"How are you feeling?" Logan asked her.

"Like I just got shot. Oh wait! I _did_ get shot!" she said with more than a hint of sarcasm.

Logan winced. "I'm sorry! I did go and talk to Weevil last night," he told her.

Keith sat up in his chair. "What did he say?" he asked Logan.

"He was mad that you were hurt and promised that he never authorized any such attack on me," Logan shared. "He said that he'd get to the bottom of it."

"Good," Keith said. He got up and stretched. "Are you going to be here a while? The doctor won't be here until ten, so we won't know if they're letting her out or not until he arrives. I'd like to go home and clean up."

"Sure. I have no plans this morning. Go. I'll call you if the doctor gets here earlier," Logan said.

"I won't be long, sweetie," Keith said to Veronica. He kissed her forehead and left them alone.

As soon as he left, Veronica's eyes zeroed in on Logan. "So what did you leave out? Tell me," she ordered.

"Nothing. I went to Weevil's house and had what constitutes for us a nice little chat," Logan said with satisfaction.

"And?" she prompted.

"I told him I'd talk to my guys, and he said he'd talk to his. We're supposed to meet back up tonight and discuss things," Logan said.

"Not that the 09ers or your friends would care that much that I got shot," Veronica said pointedly.

"Hey, Dick actually asked me if you were okay," he informed her. "That's progress!"

She shook her head. None of the 09ers quite knew how to deal with them being together. Duncan had been gone since school got out for the summer. After Logan's attorneys got the charges dropped, things had become tense in Neptune. As she accompanied Logan to his summer classes, his friends had been cordial. Dick's insults no longer had the same cruel bite in them that they'd once had. However, things between her and the 09ers would never be the way they were before Lilly had died. The fact that she and her dad had suffered so severely at Aaron's hands in revealing that he was the real killer had won her their respect. But Veronica knew how fickle they were. If Logan and she weren't dating, they'd just blame her for exposing Aaron and bringing shame unto the Echolls' name. Veronica no longer cared what they thought. She tolerated them for Logan's sake, and they did the same to her. Only Meg had ever remained her friend. And she wasn't so sure Meg and she were still friends. When Duncan found out that they weren't related, he had broken up with Meg before he left town with his parents. Veronica hoped that his actions were coincidence. However, Meg must have thought otherwise because she wasn't returning any of Veronica's calls.

"What did you tell your stooges?" she asked.

Logan grinned at the nickname. "I told them what happened and that I had talked to Weevil, who denied being behind it. They were surprised that Weevil and I are going to work together on this one, but they trust me to do what needs to be done. It was my car and girlfriend that were hurt after all," he said.

"Don't think I didn't notice that I came _after_ your car!" Veronica complained with a pout.

Logan leaned over and gave her a lingering kiss. "No one comes before you," he told her with all sincerity.

She seemed pleased at his assurance. "I want you to meet Weevil at my house. No one's planning anything without me!" she insisted.

"Honey, you were just shot. You need to rest. I don't think your dad will want you having us both over the day you get back from the hospital," Logan said.

Veronica frowned. He had a point. Logan didn't want her to be unhappy. "How about I go talk to him tonight and tell him to come over your place tomorrow after your dad has left. We won't decide anything without you," Logan offered.

Veronica smiled. "That's perfect. I knew you were more than a pretty face," she remarked. She was relieved. She knew her dad wouldn't want her to continue seeing Logan if things like this kept happening. He'd become important to her, but she wasn't ready to die in a stupid gang war. Neither Logan nor Weevil was always known for good judgment, so it was important that she have a pulse on the situation.

About a half hour later, the nurse came in to check her vitals, so Logan moved out of the way. When someone else came through the door, he looked up in surprise. It was Weevil. He had a plant in his hand. Logan smirked at the image he presented.

"Guilty conscience?" he asked Weevil as he walked through the doorway. Veronica also looked surprise to see him.

Weevil ignored him and waited until the nurse left before stepping up to Veronica's bed. He gave her the plant. "I'm sorry, V," he said simply.

"Sorry you missed Logan and got me instead?" she asked pointedly.

Weevil frowned. "No, of course not. I never ordered a hit on Echolls. I talked to my boys, and two of them thought you both were inside and saw an opportunity to scare your boyfriend. That's all," he shared.

"So it was your boys? Shoot first and ask questions later. Brilliant planning there, Weevs," Logan said sarcastically. "You're sure to get voted gang banger leader of the year!"

Weevil bit back a reply, knowing that now wasn't the time to put Echolls in his place. He ignored him and waited for Veronica to respond.

Veronica sat the plant down on the table next to her. "Thanks for the plant and for the apology. So what are you going to do about it?" she asked Weevil.

"I have a plan, but I don't think either of you will like it," Weevil said.

Before Weevil could explain further Keith Mars came in. He looked surprised to see Weevil.

"Look, Dad, Weevil brought me a plant," Veronica said cheerfully.

"Eli. It was nice of you to drop by considering you and your boys are the prime suspects," Keith said sternly.

Weevil exchanged a look with Veronica before replying. "I'm really sorry this happened, Sheriff. I swear I never told any of my boys to do anything of the sort," Weevil said.

"But you know who's behind it, I take it?" Keith asked pointedly.

Weevil shrugged but didn't answer.

Veronica stepped in. "Logan and Weevil are going to work together to stop all this, Dad. That's what's important, right?" she prompted.

Keith waited a moment, looking at both guys. Then he said, "If something else happens to my little girl, I promise you both of you will regret it. I'll dedicate my life to bringing you both to justice. As far as I'm concerned, the leaders are _always_ to blame."

"Nothing else will happen, sir. I promise. I won't let anything happen to her. I'll quit seeing her before it comes to that," Logan offered.

"Wait a minute!" Veronica protested. "I think I should have a say. I'm no damsel in distress."

"I think you two should just hang low for a bit. Don't go out in public together," Keith said.

"Dad!" Veronica protested.

"No, he's right. I'll come to your place to see you. We can order in and watch a movie. Classes don't start for another month," Logan said. "We'll get this settled before school begins."

"You don't need to worry about my guys. I talked to them. Nothing like this will happen again," Weevil promised.

"It better not," Keith said. "I'm going to go see when the doctor will be here. Hopefully, we can spring you from this joint."

"I haven't gotten my Jell-O yet," Veronica protested.

Keith gave her an indulgent smile before he walked out of the room. As soon as he left, Veronica looked at both boys. "So what's the plan?" she asked.

"I don't think now's a good time to discuss this," Weevil said, looking pointedly at the door the former Sheriff just exited.

"I was telling Ronnie that you could come by her place tomorrow while her dad's at work. She doesn't need to deal with it today anyway. She should rest," Logan said giving her a look.

She stuck out her tongue. "I'll live. I'm uncomfortable, but they're giving me some pain meds. As long as I don't move my shoulder too much, which I can't do with this sling anyway, I'll be okay," she insisted.

"Tomorrow works for me," Weevil said. "I'll come by around ten. If your dad is going to stop by your home to check on you, it'll be at lunch."

"I'll come by in the morning with breakfast, so your dad won't worry about leaving you alone," Logan offered.

"Okay, that sounds good," she replied.

Someone else entered her room, and they all three looked to the door.

Wallace did not expect to see Weevil and Logan both on either side of her hospital bed. He took in the scene a moment before stepping toward her bed. "Well, Superfly, it doesn't look like you're lonely for visitors after all," he said as he grinned knowingly at her. "Are you okay? Mom drove me up as soon as Keith suggested we come by."

"I'm okay. The bullet hit my shoulder. They took it out with no complications," she explained.

"So Weevil, did you come by to finish her off or what?" he asked. Normally, he stayed out of Veronica's business, especially when it came to the PCHers, but she could've been killed. It made him very angry.

"Look, Fennel, I wasn't behind this, so back off," Weevil said. Keith was one thing, but he wasn't taking shit from V's skinny ass sidekick.

"Everyone needs to relax," Veronica said. "Weevil came by to apologize. _If_ his boys were responsible, it wasn't his call."

"I'll let you two visit," Weevil said. "I'll catch you later, V. Echolls."

Logan saluted him as he left. Then he leaned down and dropped a quick kiss on Veronica. "I'm going to go, too. Call me when you get out of her. And if for some reason they don't let you out today, call me, okay?" he asked.

She said that she would. When he left, Wallace looked at her curiously and said, "Lucy, you have some explainin' to do!"

Outside her room, Logan hurried up to catch Weevil at the elevator doors. "Wait up, Weevil!" he yelled. Weevil stopped and turned.

"So what plan do you have up your sleeve?" Logan asked him as they stepped into the elevator together.

"Well, if you really want my boys to believe you aren't responsible and things to calm down, we may need to take extreme actions," Weevil said.

Then he proceeded to tell Logan his plan. "Hell no!" Logan exclaimed.

Weevil gave him an evil grin. "Don't got the stones?" he baited. "It'll work. You'll just have to trust me."

Logan looked at him in dismay and shook his head. "You're the one who'll have to tell Ronnie, and if she vetoes it, we'll come up with _another_ plan."

Weevil hadn't thought of telling V about this. She wouldn't like it. Not at all.

~~~~~TO BE CONTINUED~~~~~


	3. The Plan

***** _The Next Morning*****_

After a full night's sleep, Veronica finally had time to fully process everything that had happened. The night before, the nurses had came in every four hours and woke her up, so she didn't get much rest. Waking up was painful due to the throbbing in her shoulder, but her head was clear. She wanted to keep it that way, so she took over the counter pain pills instead of her prescription pain meds. She'd save those for sleepy time.

Getting shot, even if it was accidentally, forced a person to look at their life and themselves. Veronica had some regrets. Most were concerning her mother and the Kanes. Her anger and disappointment at her mother seemed petty in face of her near death. Veronica didn't want to die without understanding why her mother kept running out on her and her dad. How could she steal from them? She also knew that if she wanted to be fully committed to Logan like he wanted, then she needed to reach some closure with Duncan. Although she finally knew why he'd abruptly broke up with her sophomore year, she didn't understand his cowardice in not telling her they could be related. He allowed her to still love him and be heartbroken over his rejection even though he believed they were siblings. What kind of person did that? Not to mention having sex with her and leaving her to wake up alone and without her panties. His excuse of feeling sickened for having sex with his sister seemed completely selfish. He was forever thinking of how he felt or what was effecting him. What she may have been experiencing or feeling was inconsequential to him. Then the night that she'd almost died at the hands of Aaron, he'd showed up there with his father and never even so much as went up and asked her if she was okay. She needed to make him understand that his boneheaded and hurtful choices were _not_ okay.

Meg's continual anger at Veronica for Duncan breaking up with her made Veronica suspect that she may have had something to do with his actions. Maybe he thought that since they weren't related the field was clear for him to pursue Veronica once again. Duncan had been in Napa with his family for half the summer. She didn't need him coming back in while all the drama was going on with the PCHers and the 09ers and bring more complication to her life. Veronica couldn't deny that having a part of her old life back was attractive. Duncan had been her first love and Lilly's brother. All her best memories had him in it in some capacity or another. But she was no longer the innocent girl he'd once loved. Nor could she see him the way she once had. They could never go back.

Dating Duncan had been simple and uncomplicated. Not to mention predictable. In contrast, being with Logan was scary sometimes. He was, to a degree, responsible for her almost dying. He was reckless and impulsive, but he was also loyal and sweet. And oh, so passionate. His passion for her sometimes unsettled her. She knew that he felt things very deeply. Now that she'd gotten close to him, she understood why he'd targeted her so much with his rage after Lilly's murder. The Fab Four had been broken by Lilly's death and forever altered by Veronica's determination to stand by her father. Logan had felt truly abandoned and betrayed. Logan felt her betrayal as deeply as he felt the loss of Lilly. Veronica understood that now. Her knowledge of the pain he eternally endured at his dad's hand made her understand all the seething emotions he kept at bay. They excited her as much as they sometimes frightened her. She was terrified of losing him to those emotions or where they may take him.

Finding a resolution with Weevil and ending the gang war was crucial to Veronica's peace of mind. She couldn't bear another violent loss. Nor did she want to see Logan taking her place in the hospital beat up, shot, or stabbed. Something had to change. However, thinking about the possible solutions that Weevil and Logan could come up with in no way comforted her.

When Logan showed up at her place an hour before Weevil arrived, he found her moody and apprehensive. He tried to use his Echolls' charm to put her in a better mood, but it didn't work.

"Okay, Snookums, what's got you so cranky? Are you in pain?" Logan asked.

She shrugged. "Nothing I can't handle," she answered.

"Are you worried about the PCHers?" he asked.

"What do you think? I could've died. You could've died. This is insane. Someone killed Felix on that bridge that night. You don't own a switch blade. How could you have magically produced one and killed one of your attackers? If it wasn't you, then it _had_ to be one of Weevil's boys," Veronica stated.

"Do you think Weevil's going to believe that?" Logan wondered.

"He's not an idiot. The idea has to have occurred to him," she said.

"Going about proving it will be the tricky part. Neither my friends or his friends will like seeing us talking together or appearing friendly," Logan pointed out.

"Well, I'm not an 09er, and I don't have to go by any implied code of conduct. I think your friends know by now that I could care less about what they think about me or my friends," Veronica said.

"True. They know you're friends with Weevil. Some think you are his love slave or was before I won you over," Logan said with a suggestive lift of his eyebrows.

She rolled her eyes. "Yes, I'm a busy girl. Between servicing the football team, Wallace, and Weevil and the PCHer's, it's a wonder I can walk straight," she said sarcastically.

Logan grinned. He moved closer and put his arm around him. "They only talk because they're jealous. You're hot and available, and you make it clear that they are beneath you," he explained. "It makes them nuts."

"Yet somehow you won me over. Tell me again how you did that?" she asked, smiling up at him.

"By my obvious charm and sex appeal," he replied without missing a beat.

She thought about it for a minute then shook her head. "No, I don't think that's it," she said.

"It's not?"

"Nope. It was the kiss," she said matter-of-factly.

"Our first kiss?" he inquired.

She got a dreamy smile on her face. "Seven minutes in heaven," she said.

"It lasted seven minutes?" he asked in surprise.

Her eyes focused on him. "Very funny. You know what I mean. That kiss made me forget all the ones that came before," she said.

Logan was surprised at her admittance. "Really?" he asked.

She just smiled that secret smile of hers and added a head tilt for good measure. "What do you think?"

"You leave me no choice. I have to kiss you senseless," he warned.

"If you must, you must," she said carelessly. But her eyes challenged him.

Logan, sitting on her uninjured side, leaned closer and placed a butterfly kiss on her lips, then another. Finally, his lips settled on top of hers. With a contended sigh, she parted her lips and allowed his tongue entry. Like the first time, kissing him made her feel so many things at once. She relaxed into his embrace, allowing him to take things up a notch. Like a match to a flame, the heat sprung up between them, engulfing them both. In no time, they both were gasping for a breath. Logan released her lips, trailing kisses down her neck. Veronica tilted her head to give him better access. He lightly sucked on a sweet spot on her neck, causing her to moan softly in reaction. The doorbell rang. For a moment, they ignored it as Logan's lips once again captured hers. Finally, the ringing became insistent.

"Open up you two. I know you're in there," Weevil hollered.

Reluctantly, Logan ended the kiss. He rested his forehead a moment on hers and breathed deeply, trying to slow down his racing pulse. "God, I love kissing you," he told her. He sat up and gave her a heated look.

"Anytime. I aim to please," she replied arrogantly, causing him to chuckle.

The bell rang again, and he got up to let Weevil in. "It's about time," Weevil complained in annoyance. "What took you so long?" Then he looked at Veronica. "Don't answer that."

"Good morning," Veronica said.

"How are you feeling?" Weevil asked her.

"Okay. I've been better, but luckily, I'll live," she said.

Weevil looked grim a moment before he sat down in the chair adjacent to them. He looked at Logan. "So did you tell her my plan?" he asked.

"I told you that it was your crazy ass plan, so you get the honor of convincing Veronica it'll work," Logan said with a smirk.

"I don't think I'm going to like this plan," Veronica said. "Tell me."

Weevil took a deep breath and explained what he wanted to do. Veronica listened without interruption.

When he was done, she said, "Okay, let me make sure I understand this. You want to have your boys kidnap Logan at night, take him to a dark, spooky place, and play some sick confessional game with him that involves a form of Russian Roulette? Are you insane?" she demanded in disbelief.

"I told you she wouldn't like it," Logan said knowingly to Weevil.

"Listen, V, if you want my boys to back off the 09ers, they gotta be convinced that he did not kill Felix," Weevil explained.

"Of course, he didn't kill Felix. How could he have? He was surrounded by your boys, beat half to death, and does _not_ even own a switchblade!" Veronica pointed out. "Even if he had killed Felix, how could you hold him responsible when you surrounded him like a pack of wolves?"

"I'm not going to get into it with you, V, over how much shit the 09ers get away with 'cause you know better than anyone. That's what is at the heart of it. But you gotta trust me. The gun won't be loaded. I'll be there the whole time to make sure he doesn't get actually hurt," Weevil explained.

"There has to be another way," she said.

"If you have a better way to convince my boys of your man's innocence, then by all means, tell us," Weevil said. He sat back in the chair and crossed his arms.

"Prove who really did it," she replied.

"That's the long term plan. I'm talking about getting things under control now. This is drastic, but it will work. But you'll have to trust me," Weevil said resolutely.

"Trust you with Little Logan? I don't think so!" Logan said.

" _Little_ being the operative word," Weevil said with a smirk.

"Okay, boys, that's enough. Let's not get side tracked," Veronica said. Then she asked Logan, "Do you want to do this?"

"I don't think I'd use the word _'want_ ', but if it's the best way to end this and keep you safe, then I'll do it," Logan said with a shrug.

"I don't like this. There's too many things that could go wrong," Veronica said in concern.

"I promise, V, I won't let your pretty boy here get hurt—at least not too much," Weevil promised with a grin.

"If he does, I'll be holding you responsible!" Veronica warned.

They spent the next twenty minutes nailing down the details. Weevil wouldn't tell Logan exactly when it would take place because he believed if Logan was surprised, his fear and panic would be more real and convincing. Logan didn't like that, but he conceded. He just wanted things to go back to normal—at least normal for Neptune. He reluctantly said goodbye to Veronica shortly after Weevil because Veronica was fading. He insisted that she take a nap, and for once, she was too tired to argue.

****** _A Few Days Later*****_

Logan was getting into his car after spending the evening hanging with Dick and Beaver when suddenly he was grabbed from behind and a bag thrown over his head. He struggled against his captors but was hit hard in the head. An angry voice ordered, "Don't fight or you'll get a lot worse!" Logan went limp. He realized this was probably part of Weevil's plan. Weevil had a point; not knowing when it was supposed to happen was highly effective.

He was thrown into the back of a van of sorts. "Don't move!" someone ordered. After a ten minute drive, he was yanked out of the van and forced somewhere else. The bag over his head was removed. He was facing several men wearing black ski-masks. He was in some type of warehouse. Two men forced him against some type of wooden shelf. Then they grabbed his arms and pulled them up and secured them against some wooden beam. Then they did his legs. Logan fought against them and someone decked him so hard that his vision blurred.

The one doing most of the talking told him that he was on trial for the murder of Felix. He pointed to another masked man standing in back. Logan knew that probably was Weevil. "He's your judge, and I'm the executioner!" The guy pulled out a gun.

"Look, I didn't kill Felix! I swear!" Logan yelled as convincingly as possible.

The guy shoved the gun hard against Logan's dick, causing him to cry out in pain. "Tell us the truth or you will be leaving that cute little girl of yours completely unsatisfied!"

"I'm telling the truth! I didn't kill Felix!" Logan swore.

"What happened the night he died?" the man asked.

"I can't remember!" Logan yelled.

The man pulled back the hammer on the gun. "I swear! It's a blank. I was knocked out, and when I came to he was dead!" Logan said, panic and fear evident in his voice. Although he knew Weevil wasn't going to let too much happen, he was still freaked at the gun being pushed against Little Logan.

The man stopped and looked toward the "judge". The judge stepped forward and asked for the gun. Then he pulled back the chamber of the gun and put a single bullet in it. Logan's eyes widened in surprise. This was _not_ a part of the plan.

The judge stepped forward and put the gun to Logan's temple. "Tell the truth or die," he said menacingly.

"I swear to God! I did not kill Felix! How could I have? I don't even own a switchblade; nor did I have one with me that night!" Logan promised, real terror finally hitting him. He knew he shouldn't have trusted Weevil.

The judge looked at him a moment. Then he turned to his guys. "Get rid of him," he ordered.

Panic hit Logan. Weevil was going to kill him! How could he do this? Veronica couldn't lose another person. Her face flashed in front of him right before he was knocked unconscious.

***** _To Be Continued*****_


	4. Weevil Explains

***** _Where We Left Off*****_

Logan woke up as he was rolling down a hill. He came to a stop. Head pounding, he waited a moment before he took off the bag that was still on his head. Wait until he gets his hands on Weevil! He's a dead man!

"Nothing will go wrong, my ass!" Logan grumbled to himself. "You'll be fine. Don't worry...I'll show him _fine_ when I see him next." He hurt everywhere. Every twinge made his anger increase. So much for not letting him get hurt too much!

He made his way up the incline he was thrown down. He was on a deserted road. He felt his pockets for his phone. Luckily, it was still there. Unfortunately, he had no signal. He started walking toward town, or what he thought was the direction of town.

After twenty minutes, he saw a single light getting closer to him. A loud engine indicated it was a motorcycle. It had better be Weevil.

The motorcycle came to a stop when it reached Logan. The driver pulled off his helmet and revealed Weevil's smug face. Seething, Logan had to take a deep breath to keep from hitting him. He didn't want to walk all the way home. "Was that your idea of a good plan?" he asked Weevil. He couldn't disguise the glower.

"It worked, didn't it? You convinced them," Weevil said satisfied. "Get on. I'll take you home."

When they pulled up to Logan's house, Weevil parked the bike and pulled off his helmet. Logan got off the bike. Then he turned and slugged Weevil hard across the face. "Okay, I deserve that," Weevil said. Logan hit him again. "Look, I know it didn't go exactly as we planned."

"You set me up. This better be the end of this because if this is an example of you doing what you say you'll do, we're done," Logan said angrily. Then he turned and went in the house, not trusting himself to not hit Weevil again.

Weevil watched him go in with mixed feelings. Logan always managed to piss him off. But he knew that if their positions were reversed, he'd feel the same way.

***** _The Next Day*****_

Veronica hung up the phone with a pleased smile on her face. Meg finally took her call. Mainly because she'd heard that Veronica had been shot. Veronica wasn't too shameless to play up her injury. She was determined to work things out with Meg. Although she'd made a new friend last year, well two counting Mac, she didn't want to lose Meg. They'd been friends for a long time. Lilly had never liked her too much, but even she couldn't be rude to Meg. She said Meg's complete goodness made her uncomfortable. Veronica had laughed and reminded Lilly that she was a good girl, too. Lilly had given her a knowing look and insisted that Veronica was a bad girl pretending to be good. In her mind, there was a difference. Veronica sometimes wondered if she would have found her inner bad girl if Lilly hadn't died in such a gruesome fashion.

Her doorbell rang. She got up to answer it, expecting it to be Logan. He hadn't called her last night like he normally did, nor had he answered her texts. She was beginning to worry. When she opened the door, she was surprised to see Mac. "Hey! This is a nice surprise. Come in," Veronica said, opening the door wider.

"I heard what happened. I was out of town with my parents camping when it happened, or I would've came by sooner," Mac said. "How are you feeling?" She observed Veronica's arm that was still in the sling.

"I'm fine now. This sling will be gone after my check-up tomorrow. I'll have a cool scar. Do you want to see?" Veronica asked, giving Mac a mischievous grin.

"I'll pass but thanks," Mac said with a shy smile.

"Too soon, huh? Maybe after you've known me longer," Veronica teased. "Have a seat. Would you like a coke or water?"

"Sure. Water will be fine," Mac said. "So what happened?"

"You know that the 09ers and PCHers have been at war since Logan got the charges dropped for Felix's murder, right?" Veronica inquired.

"I know things have been tense. Some of my neighbors were venting to my parents before we left. I didn't realize things were getting violent," Mac said.

"Yeah, well, Weevil is a friend of sorts of mine. Or rather we sometimes help each other. He wasn't responsible for this. He was mad to discover that one of his guys shot at Logan's car. When he talked to his guys, he found out that no one meant to actually shoot Logan. They thought we were inside my place," Veronica explained.

"That's insane!" Mac exclaimed. "You could've been killed. Did anyone get arrested?"

"Weevil wouldn't tell us who did it, but he is working with Logan to convince his guys of Logan's innocence so that things will calm down. Then we'll be able to focus on solving Felix's murder," Veronica said.

"Let me know if I can help with that. I could use a summer project," Mac said.

"You're my Q, don't worry. I'll call you if I need some help," Veronica assured her. "So do you want to go grab some lunch?"

"Sure," Mac said.

Veronica got out her phone to text her dad in case he came home at lunch, so he wouldn't worry. They made it to Mac's car when a car horn blared. Veronica looked up to see Dick Casablancas pull up in his monster pick-up truck.

"Yo, Mars Bar!" he yelled out his window. Veronica and Mac turned toward him and waited. He parked his truck and got out. He flashed them a grin. "Wow, Ronnie! You really have moved down low on the totem pole. I thought I'd never find your place."

He noticed Mac. "Hey, Ghost World!" This was the chic with the colorful hair. She reminded him of that chick off _Ghost World_.

"Her name is Cindy," Veronica corrected with annoyance.

"Most people call me Mac," Mac said with a shy smile.

"Okay, Macalicious. I need to talk to Ronnie for a minute," Dick said with a friendly smile.

Veronica never trusted Dick when he was polite. Her spidey sense was tingling. Something was up. "What's wrong, Dick?" she asked.

"You tell me. What happened to Logan?" Dick asked.

"What do you mean what happened? Is he okay? He hasn't answered my texts or called me," Veronica said in concern.

"Well, I just left his house, and someone worked him over pretty good. Since his dad's in the slammer, I figured he got jumped by the PCHers, but he wouldn't tell me," Dick said. "I figure since you're such pals with their Dark Lord, Weevil, you'd know what was the dealio. Whose ass do I need to find and kick?"

Veronica was dismayed and upset at the news. "I don't know anything, but I'll go find out," Veronica said grimly. She turned to Mac. "Rain check on lunch? I'm sorry."

"No worries. I hope he's okay. Call me later," Mac said.

"Hey, if you want a lunch date, I'm available. Madison and I broke up. I am now a free man," Dick boasted to Mac. "You're not my type, but I like to try new things." He looked her up and down as if assessing her value. He decided she had definite potential and gave her a flirtatious leer.

Mac curled her lips in disgust. "It's a good thing for me that I don't," she told him. She got into her car and waved goodbye to Veronica.

"So that's a no?" Dick called out as she backed out.

Veronica shook her head at Dick's attempt to pick up Mac. "You're wasting your time, Dick. You are not going to get anywhere with Mac. At least not with those lame pick-up lines you like to use. Smart girls don't respond to them, and Mac is smarter than just about everyone," Veronica told him. "I'll go check on Logan. Thanks for telling me."

"No problemo," Dick said. "So how did Logan win you over?"

Veronica walked over to her car and opened the door. Dick didn't think she was going to answer. Then she flashed him an impish grin. "Two words. Hot kisses." Then she got in her car and drove off.

Dick grinned after her. He knew it! "Hot kisses? I can so do that!"

***** _Logan's*****_

Before Veronica got out of her car at Logan's, she took out her phone and texted Weevil. Either he was responsible for Logan's condition or he needed to know. Both scenarios required his immediate presence. _Come to Logan's Asap!_ She didn't know if he'd show, but if he was serious about peace, then he'd come.

Logan eyed her warily when he opened his door. Veronica gasped when she saw his face. He had two black eyes and bruising on his lower jaw. "Why didn't you call me?" she demanded.

"I'm okay. You've been through too much already. I didn't want to upset you," he said. She went into his arms and hugged him tight. He suppressed a wince. Even with one good arm, she was surprisingly strong. "Not so tight. I got thrown down an embankment."

She pulled back and looked at him in dismay. "You what?" she demanded. "Okay, let's sit down, so you can tell me what happened. And for the record, when I don't hear from you, that's when I worry. For once, I'm actually grateful for Dick and his big mouth. He came to see me and told me about your condition."

"That little narc!" Logan complained.

"He's not as dumb as he looks. He knows who has the power in this relationship!" she teased. "So what happened?"

"Let's just say, Weevil has a creative interpretation of the plan he gave us," Logan said grimly. Then he proceeded to tell her all about the events that occurred. He had no inclination to protect Weevil from her wrath, so he relished in telling her every gory detail.

The more she heard, the angrier she got. "Although I know Weevil wouldn't have actually killed you, I can imagine what you thought since you and he aren't exactly pals," she remarked.

"That's an understatement," Logan said. "However, I did punch him twice when we got back to my place."

"For once, I approve!" she remarked. "I texted him and told him to come here. If he doesn't show, I'm going to track him down and give him a piece of my mind."

"Well, let's just hope it ends up being worth it," Logan said.

"Is there anything I can do to make you feel better? Do you need an icepack?" Veronica asked in concern.

"You can kiss it and make it better," Logan suggested with a grin.

"Now I know you'll be okay," she replied, smiling. "But I think I can accommodate you." She leaned over and kissed his jaw, moving up to place feather like kisses on his eyes and his forehead. Then she moved to his lips. "This is for me," she whispered. She placed her lips over his and kissed him softly.

"I went rolling down an embankment with a hood over my head," Logan reminded her. "I deserve better than that." She smiled and gave him the kiss that he was looking for. After a few minutes of enjoying her kiss, Logan pulled her across him so that she was lying on top of him. Her shoulder gave a slight twinge, but it wasn't enough to make her stop.

Just when Logan was about to reverse their positions, his doorbell rang. Veronica jumped up. "I'll get it," she said. She grabbed her bag just in case. Before she opened the door, she looked through the peephole. It was Weevil. She pulled out her Taser and had it ready. The door opened, and before Weevil had a chance to react, she tasered him. "That's for sticking a loaded gun to my boyfriend's head!" she yelled down at his prone figure.

Logan came up behind her in time to see Weevil fall. He bit back the laughter that threatened to choke him. No need to encourage her. One day, she may be mad enough to use it on him. As a matter of fact, it's a wonder she never did at one point last year when he was a colossal ass.

"Now, Sugarpuss, you know Weevil can't help his thug-like tendencies. He's from a broken home," Logan said with false cheer.

Weevil looked up at him and flipped him off. But he held up his hand to ward off Veronica in case she took offense. "Calm down, V! Give me a chance to explain before you go all ninja on me," Weevil begged, getting to his feet.

Veronica put her Taser back in her bag and eyed him in disgust. "We trusted you! _I_ trusted you!" she exclaimed.

Weevil got to his feet. "I'm sorry. I know that wasn't exactly the plan," he said apologetically.

"Little Logan and I do _not_ accept your apology!" Logan exclaimed with a smirk. He was enjoying seeing Weevil on the receiving end of Veronica's wrath for once.

"Come in and tell me why we should trust you again," Veronica ordered sternly. She turned and walked into the living, expecting both boys to follow.

"I didn't veer that much from the plan. I promised he wouldn't get hurt too much, and he didn't," Weevil said.

"Are you joking? Look at him!" Veronica yelled.

"I am, and all I see are some bruises. There's no broken bones or serious injuries. I had to make it real, V, if it was going to work. None of the boys had a loaded gun. I personally held the gun when it was loaded. They had to believe I was serious, or it would've all been for nothing," Weevil insisted. When the two of them just looked at him without speaking, he got annoyed. "Look, I'm sorry! I don't know what you want from me. You try managing a bunch of hotheaded teenage boys and see how well you do!"

"Oh, I think I'd do just fine!" Veronica boasted, a small smile on her face.

Weevil rolled his eyes. He so wasn't going there. "Look, I didn't think you'd be this mad," he said to Logan, an apologetic note in his voice.

"I thought you were actually going to kill me!" Logan explained, the anger still there.

"Why would you think that? That wasn't the plan," Weevil replied easily.

"Why would I think that? Are you stupid or what? Being knocked unconscious wasn't a part of the plan. Endangering my ability to reproduce wasn't the plan. Nor was holding a loaded gun to my head or throwing me down an embankment! Your kind sure don't take direction well!" Logan said scornfully.

Weevil took a step toward Logan; he was about to wipe his smug look off his face. Veronica stepped between them. "Okay, Logan. There's no need to be so insulting. We got to get past this," she said sternly.

"How do you suppose we do that?" Logan asked. He threw himself down on the couch.

Veronica thought for a minute. "Well, we can use your genuine dislike of each other to our advantage. Publicly, you'll still be adversaries," she advised.

"That shouldn't be a problem," Weevil said grimly.

"Did you find out anything from your boys?" she asked Weevil.

"Well, Hector was there when we interrogated Logan. Next to Felix, he's the one I trust the most. He confessed to me that he didn't know what to think. He never saw Logan kill Felix, but he knows if Logan didn't, what the implications are," Weevil shared. "I think he'll be watching the guys closely. If something is off, I think we can count on him to come to me about it."

"Who do you suspect the most?" Veronica asked.

"The guy behind shooting you openly challenged my leadership by going behind my back," Weevil said. "I'm going to see what else the little weasel's been up to."

"You do that. I think we need to find out exactly who all was on that bridge the night Felix died. We got to find that witness," Veronica said.

The three of them looked at one another other in silent contemplation. The witness would know the truth. He was the key to ending the war.

****** _More To Come*****_


	5. Duncan Returns

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> This chapter doesn't contain Weevil. I was focusing on other characters in the VM world.

****** _A few days later******_

Things calmed down the week following Logan's interrogation by Weevil and his gang. Weevil's tactics were still a sore subject for Logan, but he chalked it up to the price he had to pay for peace. Veronica's doctor cleared her to go back to work, so she started back at the Hut where she had started working a few weeks before the shooting. Her dad wanted her to take a break from the P.I. world for a while. After solving Lilly's murder and nearly dying at Aaron's hands, Keith couldn't handle the thought of her being seriously injured.

The day she started back to work, Duncan showed up. He sat down in her section. She was surprised to see him. His appearance brought mixed emotions to her. On one hand, a part of her was glad to see him. She couldn't help but wonder how he was handling the fact that it was Aaron who killed his sister. Not to mention he'd seen the videotapes of the two of them. It still made Veronica sick to know that Aaron had been getting off on recording himself having sex with Lilly. However, on the other hand, Duncan had disappeared without a word to either her or Logan. Even though Logan never verbalized it, she knew that Duncan's abandonment had hurt him. He and Dick were chums, but they weren't as close as he and Duncan. He looked up to Duncan. Veronica had tried to be there for him as much as she could, but she knew that he had missed Duncan.

She walked toward his table with a menu. "Hello, Duncan," she said with a friendly smile. He was a paying customer after all.

"Hi, Veronica! It's good to see you. I came back to town when Luke called and told me what happened to you," Duncan said. "How are you?"

"Yea, I can see that you rushed back to see how I was. It happened almost two weeks ago but thanks for the thought. I'm fine. Logan's been taking good care of me," she said. She couldn't resist adding that last part. She could tell that he didn't like the reminder that they were together. Well, that was too damn bad.

"I'm glad you're okay," he said diplomatically. He told her what he wanted, and she left to put his order in.

Mac came in a few minutes later carrying her laptop. "Do you have a quiet table I can get some work done?" she asked Veronica. "My little brother Ryan is being particularly annoying today. My uncle is paying me some money to design a website for him, and I told him I'd have it done by the end of the week."

"Sure. I'll even bring you a cappuccino," Veronica said with a smile.

She led Mac to a quiet table in the corner. Mac noticed Duncan Kane sitting at a table they walked by. "So that's your ex, right?" she asked indicating Duncan who was a few tables down reading a book.

"Yes. That's Duncan. He's been gone all summer. He claims he came back to see if I was okay, but I have a hard time believing that considering he never called to check on me after Aaron nearly killed me. Nor did he call to see how Logan was doing, and Logan's supposed to be his best friend," Veronica said.

"Well, he did just find out his best friend's dad killed his sister. It's got to be rough on him," Mac said sympathetically.

Veronica sighed. "I know it is, but it's not easy for any of us. We used to all be so close before Lilly died. Now we're barely friends," she said. Some more customers came in. "Great, just what I need."

Mac looked up to see Dick and someone else with him. "Who's that guy with Dick? He's kind of cute," she said.

Veronica smiled when she realized that Mac was referring to Dick's younger and much smarter brother Cassidy. "That's Cassidy, his younger brother. He's just a year younger, though, so I'll introduce you. He's pretty much the opposite of Dick, so I know you'll like him," Veronica told her.

"No, that's okay," Mac said quickly, embarrassed.

However, things were taken out of Veronica's hands when the two boys in question walked to Duncan's table and started chatting with him. Then Dick noticed Veronica and Mac. "Ronnie, the service here sucks. You might wanna work on that," he informed her with a smirk.

"Dick!" Cassidy admonished. He looked embarrassed by his brother's rudeness.

"It's okay, Cassidy. I'm used to your brother's boorish behavior," Veronica stated.

"Who's boring? I'm not boring!" Dick defended.

"She didn't say boring; she said boorish. It means rude," Cassidy patiently explained.

It was obvious to Veronica and Mac that he probably spent a lot of time explaining things to his brother. Mac couldn't help but smile. Both boys noticed her smile.

"Hey, Beaver, look. Ghost World's got dimples. She's kind of cute, don't you think?" Dick asked, oblivious to the embarrassment he was causing Mac.

Veronica noticed and took control. "Richard, I told you her name is Cindy. But she goes by Mac like you go by Dick. She's good with computers just like you're a …" she stopped herself. She took a deep breath and put on a fake smile. "Cassidy this is my friend Cindy. Mac to her friends. Mac this is Cassidy."

"Beaver to his friends," Dick supplied.

"No, Beaver to my annoying older brother," Cassidy said firmly. Dick just grinned, not offended.

"Would you boys sit down and tell me what you want? I've got other customers," Veronica ordered crossly.

Dick sat down next to Mac and nosily looked at what she was doing on her computer. "Cool. Whacha doin'?" Dick asked.

Cassidy sat down across from Mac and told Veronica what they wanted. He ordered for his brother—something else Veronica was sure he did often. Before she could tell them to leave her friend alone, another customer came in, and she had to go to the front.

Mac found herself in a position she had never been in before. Two, count them, two guys were sitting with her. Both were rich and attractive. She kind of felt like she was in one of those alternate realities. Cassidy gave her a shy smile; she smiled back. He seemed much different from his goofy older brother.

"So you're good with computers, huh?" Cassidy asked.

"Dude, look at this website she made!" Dick exclaimed, obviously impressed. "The graphics rock! I wish I'd known you last year when I was in my computer class."

Cassidy admired the screen that Dick had turned toward him. "That's pretty good," Cassidy remarked, trying to play it cool.

"Pretty good? It's better than you can do," Dick said. "What are you doing this for?" he asked Mac.

"My uncle is paying me to design it for him," Mac explained.

"That's cool. You can probably use the money," Dick observed, not really trying to be rude.

"Dick!" Cassidy admonished.

"It's okay. He's right. I can always use the money. Some of us don't have trust funds to depend on. We got to use our brains and become productive members of society," Mac said, making a pointed jab at the two guys.

Of course, Dick was oblivious to her sarcasm. "Yeah, that must suck," he said, sympathetically. Then he looked up and noticed Duncan was smiling wistfully at Ronnie. He got out his phone and texted Logan.

Ten minutes later, Logan came into the Hut and had a few abnormal sights confront him. First, his old pal and supposed best friend was back in town. He hadn't bothered to call and let Logan know he was back. However, what irked Logan was that Duncan was talking and smiling at his girlfriend. Logan ignored the pang of guilt that reminded him that she was Duncan's first. Duncan had broken up with her and ignored her for over a year and let everyone assume the worst.

Logan was about to head to Duncan's table when he saw Veronica's weird friend Mac sitting with both Dick and Cassidy looking at a laptop. Dick was so absorbed in whatever the three were looking at that he didn't even notice Logan's arrival. Logan made a mental note to find out what that was about later. First thing's first; he walked toward Veronica and Duncan.

"Wow, this is an eerie sight. My best friend actually talking nicely to his _ex_ ," Logan said easily, making a point to emphasize the _ex_.

Veronica looked toward him and smiled warmly. Logan noticed a hint of relief in Veronica's expression. She reached up to give him a quick kiss in greeting. Logan saw Duncan look away. "So I heard that this is where all the cool kids were hanging out," he said to both of them.

"You heard wrong. Dick's here. Make him leave," Veronica replied. "He's attached himself to Mac like a leech. Mac came here to work on something in peace and can't."

Logan looked toward them. "Yo, Dick!" Dick looked up and waved. "Leave Mac in peace and come over here!" Logan ordered, waving him over. Dick said something to Mac and got up. Cassidy, as expected, followed. Mac flashed Logan a grateful smile.

"Dude, Ronnie's friend can do wicked cool things with a computer!" Dick enthused.

Veronica left to get their order, so they crowded at Duncan's table.

"Duncan was about to explain to me when he got back to town and why no one has heard from him," Logan said with false cheer.

Duncan looked uncomfortable. "Well, Luke called and told me things had been crazy here, so I came back as soon as my parents relaxed their guard," he admitted.

"Interpretation: you heard Veronica had been shot. You didn't care that I got arrested and charged with a murder I didn't commit," Logan said sourly.

"I knew your lawyers would get you off," Duncan said. "Your dad killed my sister after he videotaped himself having sex with her. Excuse me if I took some time to deal."

"Things have been whack!" Dick interjected. "Weevil jumped Logan, but they "talked" (he used air quotes), so things are okay for now. Since Logan didn't want to find Weevil and give him some much deserved payback, I wanted to set fire to their neighborhood pool, but Logan vetoed my righteous plan."

"Righteous?" Duncan asked, raising his eyebrow.

Luckily, Veronica appeared with Dick and Cassidy's order. "Logan, would you like a coke or coffee?" she asked.

"Only if you serve it with a kiss," Logan teased.

"I didn't get a kiss," Dick complained with a grin.

"How about you kiss-off?" Veronica suggested with her patented fake smile she reserved for 09ers.

"A coke would be nice," Logan added.

Veronica left, and Duncan watched her leave. "So things are going well with you and Ronnie?" Duncan inquired.

"Things couldn't be better," Logan said with a pleased expression on his face. "How about you? I heard you broke up with Meg. How come?"

"She wasn't putting out, was she?" Dick wondered.

"Not that is any of your business, but not that's not why I broke up with her," Duncan said.

"Oh, so she _did_ put out?" Dick asked with a grin. "Cole missed out!"

Duncan looked annoyed. "Dick, cut it out," Logan said before Duncan got angry.

"I broke up with Meg because things were a mess, and I knew I couldn't give her the attention she deserved," Duncan explained.

Veronica came up to the table with Logan's drink in time to overhear his comment. "Well, hey, at least you actually told her it was over instead of freezing her out like you did me. That's some real growth," Veronica said with more than a hint of sarcasm.

Duncan looked embarrassed, and when Logan accepted the kiss Veronica gave him as she gave him his drink, he actually looked pained. He got up. "Well, it's great seeing you guys. I'm going to go. My parents got me on a tight leash."

"I'm all alone at my house, so come hang out whenever you want," Logan offered graciously.

"Dudes, we should have a party now that Duncan's back," Dick suggested.

"We should wait until the 4th of July," Cassidy said, finally contributing to the conversation.

"Perfect! We can have it at Logan's since he has no parentals. But then again people may not want to have it at Casa De Killer. We can throw it, right Beav? Dad usually leaves town on the 4th. Now that he's got this totally hot new babe, he'll probably take her some place fancy," Dick suggested, oblivious to how his words may have affected Duncan or Logan.

"Okay. Just let me know when and where, and I'll be there," Duncan said. He knew there was really no point in taking offense at anything Dick said. Then he turned and left.

"Dude, quit calling my house that! It's not cool!" Logan rebuked in annoyance.

"Sorry, dude. I didn't mean no offense. You know I'll come hang out with you there. Beav and I won't be deterred, right Beaver?" Dick asked his brother with a grin. Cassidy just shook his head. There were just some things Dick would never get.

"Was it me or did Duncan seem bothered by the fact that Veronica and I are still together?" Logan asked them.

"Well, he did bail right after you kissed her. That's why I text you. He was looking all doe-eyed at her," Dick said.

"Yeah, he did seem uncomfortable," Cassidy said. "But it could just be because it's kind of awkward. He used to date her and your dad killed his sister. No offense." Unlike Dick, Cassidy didn't go out of his way to piss off anyone, especially not Logan. Logan had always treated him well.

"That's true," Logan said. However, he couldn't help but wonder what exactly was on Duncan's mind.

****** _A few hours later******_

Logan brought Veronica over to his house after she got off work to watch a movie. He had finally convinced her to watch something besides _South Park_. She had recently mentioned that she had never watched _Goonies_. He told her that he could not date a woman that hadn't watched one of his favorite childhood movies, so she promised to view it with him.

"Does it bother you to be here by yourself?" Veronica asked as she sat her purse down on the counter in the kitchen. Logan put a bag of popcorn in the microwave and got out some drinks.

"Not really. My parents were gone a lot with their careers if you recall when they were here. Mrs. Navarro always comes for half a day and prepares something I can heat up for dinner. And don't forget the pool boy," Logan added lightly.

"I just don't like you here all alone in this big empty house. When you're parents would go on location, you always knew they were coming back," Veronica said. "I know you never wanted your dad to come back, but you must get lonely now that no one is around."

"Sometimes," Logan admitted. "But when it's too bad, I call you or one of the guys. I'm okay. It's sweet of you to worry. Careful, Veronica. I'm beginning to think you might care." He wrapped his arms around her and pulled her in for a hug.

"I do care. Don't you know that?" she asked earnestly. She looked up at him with those beautiful blue eyes, and he was unable to resist capturing her lips for a kiss.

"I love you for caring," Logan said. Then he gave her the drinks to carry while he grabbed the popcorn.

"If you really love me, you'd supply the chocolate," Veronica said with a teasing grin on her face.

Logan sighed dramatically and went to the cabinet. He pulled out a box of chocolates. "I had Mrs. Navarro pick this up. I knew you'd want it sooner or later," he said with a smug smile.

"Careful, Logan. I'm beginning to think you're worthy of my much sought after affection. 'Cause you know that the way to a woman's heart is through chocolate," Veronica joked.

"Hey, if that's all it takes to win your heart, consider it done," Logan replied grinning. Then two of them shared a meaningful glance, full of things neither was ready to voice. Before things could get awkward, they headed into the living room with their supplies.

"You know I don't think you're the kind of girl a guy ever really gets over," Logan said as they snuggled together on the couch.

"Of course not!" she remarked, giving him a saucy smile.

"No, I'm serious. I think Duncan still loves you," Logan said. "Didn't you notice how he was acting earlier at the Hut? He didn't seem to like the fact that we were still together. And I didn't buy his reason for breaking up with Meg."

Veronica debated on how much she should tell Logan. She didn't want to cause a bigger rift between him and Duncan. However, she also didn't want to lie to him about Duncan. Her secrets were sometimes too much weight. "He did tell me that he came back to town because he heard I was hurt," she admitted.

"I knew it!" Logan exclaimed. "He wants you."

"It's too bad for him that I don't want him back. I can't just forget that he ignored me for a year and didn't even bother to tell me we were broken up," Veronica said.

"Did you ever find out why he broke up with you?" Logan asked. "He never would tell me."

"I don't think you really want to know. It's disturbing," Veronica confessed.

"I think I should know, don't you? How can Duncan and I work through things if I don't really know where he's coming from?" Logan asked.

"While I was investigating Lilly's murder, I discovered that my mom and Jake were high school sweethearts. I guess neither my mom nor Celeste were sure that Jake wasn't my father," Veronica revealed.

Logan sat there a few minutes in stunned silent at that revelation. "You're Duncan's sister?" he asked.

"No! Thank God!" she exclaimed, giving a little shudder. "I threw up when Duncan finally told me that he thought we were siblings. It was after I confronted him for sleeping with me at Shelly's party and leaving me there to awake up alone without my underwear, thinking I'd been raped."

"So let me see if I understand this. Duncan thought you were siblings, so he dumped you without telling anyone."

"He told his sister. Now I understand why she got over his dumping me so quickly. Lilly knew. She died thinking we were sisters," Veronica explained.

"But you know for sure you're not?" Logan asked.

"I got a DNA test. My dad is for sure my dad," Veronica said.

"But Duncan stayed in love with you all last year—I know he was—even though he thought you were siblings? _And_ he still had sex with you?" Logan asked, becoming more horrified at the ramifications.

Veronica made a conscious point of not thinking about this topic, so hearing Logan say it like that forced her to confront some dark truths that she'd rather not contemplate. "I guess you could put it that way. I try not to think about it," she finally replied.

"How else can you think about it? He believed you were siblings and let me and everyone else think you'd done something horrible? He was too cowardly to tell anyone," Logan said in outrage.

"Imagine how you'd feel if you were in love with someone you believed was your sister? He was freaked out," Veronica said.

"How can you defend him? Not only did he let everyone, myself included, abuse you for almost a year, but he let you think you'd been raped by fleeing your bedside after taking your virginity?" Logan said in disbelief. He couldn't believe this. Then a thought occurred to him. "You told him you weren't siblings, right?"

"Actually, the night we found the tapes and realized your dad killed Lilly was when I told him," Veronica said.

Logan took a moment to process that bit of information. "So he responded by immediately breaking up with Meg? I'm totally right! He wants you back!" Logan insisted.

"I think that's what Meg thinks, too, because she wouldn't take my calls until I got shot," Veronica said. "She still hasn't come to see me. I'm going to pin her down sooner or later, though."

"I guess what I want to know is how you feel? Would you take Duncan back if I wasn't in the picture? Could you just get past all that he did and take him back?" Logan asked. "You forgave me for worse."

Veronica opened her mouth to reassure him. However, something held her back.

*****To Be Continued*****

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I had a lot of trouble with the last section of this story. I wasn't sure where to go with this. I don't think the show ever really addressed what exactly Veronica told Logan. I know she told him about Duncan and her having sex, and it not being rape. However, did she ever tell him that Duncan thought they were siblings and that's why he dumped her? The fact that Veronica just got over that and went back to Duncan I think disturbs most of us, so I'm choosing to have Logan point out what I wanted to point out to her. I hope that's okay. I know I'm portraying her as being slightly more open than she was in the show. However, I'm going under the assumption that if they hadn't broken up over Logan's actions that the shooting would've brought them closer.


	6. The Heart of the Matter

_*****Where We Left Off******_

Veronica tried to form an answer for Logan that he'd understand. He mistook her hesitation and got upset.

"I guess your silence is enough of an answer!" he exclaimed, getting up from the couch. He looked down at her. "Maybe I'm standing in the way of your one true love. If Duncan's who you want, then go. My family has stolen enough from him. I love you, Veronica. But if you don't want to love me or don't think you ever can, then I'd rather we end this now rather than later."

Veronica's mouth fell open slightly in surprise at the turn of the conversation. She got up and went to him. Grabbing his hand, she said, "Logan, stop! You misunderstood my hesitation. I was trying to think of how I can make you understand what I feel toward Duncan. Come sit down, so I can explain."

She led him back to the couch. Not letting go of his hand, she faced him. "I never dreamed that you and I would ever be together like we are. I'm still surprised. It's been almost two months, but it hasn't been a normal two months. We've dealt with too much. Your dad, my dad, hospitals, arrests, courts, and PCHers. There hasn't been enough time to focus on just us, but I'm glad there's an us," she told him earnestly.

"Really?" he asked.

"Yes. I hope we can spend the rest of the summer growing closer as a couple. Duncan and I were together a long time. He was my first love, and he hurt me a lot. But he was Lilly's brother. You know how much she meant to me. I can't think of Duncan without thinking of her. Surely, you can understand that? How many memories do you have of Lilly that include me and Duncan?" Veronica pointed out.

Logan could understand that, but he was still upset. "Yes, but that's not what I'm asking. Do you still love Duncan? Am I the one you really want? Now that there's no obstacles in the way of you two, would you rather be with him?" Logan questioned.

Veronica searched his eyes, hoping he'd be able to understand what she was trying to make him see. "A part of me will always love Duncan. I'm sorry," she said, stopping to search his face for his reaction. Then she continued. "Won't a part of you always love Lilly? She was your first love. Even though you had a tumultuous relationship, you loved her, right?" Veronica asked.

"Yes, I loved her. I thought she was the love of my life. She was exciting and maddening, and I thought we'd fight and break-up always. Knowing she died before we had a chance to make-up will probably always haunt me. That's why I was so mad at you after she died. I guess I blamed you for that," Logan admitted.

"If she hadn't died, do you think we'd be together now?" Veronica wondered.

Her question gave Logan pause. He'd never considered that. He was so crazy about Veronica now that he couldn't imagine not wanting her. Even when he was hating her last year, he was obsessed with her. That should have been a clue. He liked to think that Lilly would want them to be together and be there for each other. "I don't know if Lilly and I had what it would take to make it through the long haul. She loved guys, and they loved her. I was always jealous and unhappy. You don't make me unhappy. In fact, I didn't know a relationship could be like this," Logan shared.

Veronica smiled at his confession. "I did. I know you don't like to think of me with Duncan, but he and I had a happy relationship. That's why his sudden round about hurt me so. I didn't know what I did wrong. And I guess what you pointed out about his actions concerning me is right. I don't like to think about it because the implications are upsetting, but Duncan's behavior was cowardly, and he did mistreat me," Veronica said. "I can forgive a lot. I forgave you for a lot. And maybe if things were different, if you and I weren't together, a part of me would want to be back with Duncan because my old life with Duncan when Lilly was alive was such a comfort. I sometimes miss that like I miss her."

Logan's expression darkened at her words. He looked away. Veronica lifted her hand to his cheek and turned his face back toward her. "Don't, Logan. I'm not saying I want Duncan. On the contrary, you gave me a lot to think about. Duncan does have a lot to answer for. I don't know if I even want to be friends with him now. Being his girlfriend again isn't even on my radar because right now all I see or want is you," Veronica said.

"Do you mean that?" Logan asked, unable to disguise the hopeful note in his voice.

"I don't know if I can give you the words you want yet, but I know that if I didn't want to be with you I wouldn't. I know that no one in my life, including Duncan, has ever made me feel as much as you make me feel. My whole body knows when you're near, and my heart only has room for you," Veronica said, for once opening herself up to him in a way she hadn't before.

Logan smiled in relief at her words. He leaned closer and placed a soft kiss on hers. Then he pressed in, deepening the kiss. Veronica's arms went around his neck as she opened her mouth, accepting his kiss. Her tongue dueled with his; the passion igniting between them. She lay back on the couch and allowed Logan's body to cover her own, evidence of his growing desire pressed into her stomach. She opened her eyes and smiled. "Someone's getting a wee-bit excited," she teased.

"You do have that effect on me," Logan replied, a sardonic grin on his face. "Just ignore it. I know you're not ready for sex."

"I want to be," Veronica replied. "Give me time."

"Take all the time you need, Sugarlips. I'm not going anywhere," Logan said.

"You better not because I'm getting attached," Veronica said, smiling up at him.

"Good. I like you attached. 'Cause I'm kind of attached myself," Logan said. Then he pressed his lips again to hers. Her arms pulled him close once again as they forgot all about their plans to watch _Goonies_.

_******The Next Day******_

Veronica's evening with Logan made her more determined than ever to work things out with Meg. She didn't know if she and Logan could ever be close to Duncan again, especially after what she told Logan. However, she knew that she didn't want to lose Meg as her friend. Meg had been the only 09er to continue to be her friend after Lilly died. Her loyalty meant a lot Veronica. She wasn't about to forget it or let Duncan come between them. If Duncan valued Logan, he wouldn't let Veronica come between them either. She pulled up in front of Meg's house, knowing that she hadn't been invited but determined to get Meg to talk to her.

Meg's little sister Gracie opened the door. She gave Veronica a shy smile. "Is Meg here?" Veronica asked.

"Who's at the door?" a voice asked. Then Meg appeared. She looked surprised to see Veronica. She didn't shut the door in Veronica's face, so Veronica took that as a good sign. "Hi, Meg. I'm sorry to drop by uninvited, but I was hoping we could talk. Can I come in?" she asked.

"How about we take a walk? I've been inside all day," Meg suggested. "Give me a minute, okay?"

Veronica nodded and waited on her doorstep. A few minutes later, Meg came out. "Sorry. My parents are a bit suffocating. I don't like talking to my friends when they're home," Meg said.

"Oh, so you still consider me your friend because I wasn't sure. You've been avoiding me," Veronica said pointedly.

Meg looked away and then walked down the steps. Veronica followed. "How are you feeling?" Meg asked, not ready to answer her question.

"Good. Who knew getting shot would not be the worst thing to ever happen to me?" Veronica said, not really joking.

Meg grimaced at the reminder of the bad things Veronica had gone through. She wanted to be mad at Veronica. However, she knew that she really had no right to blame Veronica for Duncan's actions. "I'm sorry for what's happened to you, and I'm sorry I've not been there for you. I just couldn't," Meg confessed.

They walked in silence for a few minutes, each trying to carefully word what they wanted to say. Finally, Veronica spoke. "I'm sorry about you and Duncan. He's a fool. Believe me, I know how it feels," Veronica said.

Meg looked grim for a moment and looked away. Then she said, "He still loves you, Veronica. The night of Logan's surprise party when we found out about the two of you, he went nuts. He had some kind of fit or something. He broke the window out on his truck."

Veronica was surprised. "Do you know that he suffers from an extreme form of epilepsy? It can cause black outs and fits of rage," Veronica shared.

Now it was Meg's turn to look surprised. "That's why he acted like nothing had happened a few minutes later?" she inquired.

"Probably," Veronica said.

"I guess he didn't trust me enough to share that bit of information," Meg said sourly.

"He didn't trust anyone. I only know that because I broke into his medical records when I was investigating Lilly's murder," Veronica confessed wryly.

Meg's mouth opened in shock. Then she laughed. "You are too much, Veronica Mars! I have missed you," she said.

"Good. I've missed you. Maybe you can talk to me and tell me what's going on. I'm sorry if Duncan broke up with you thinking he could be with me, but that's not going to happen. I'm with Logan, and we're very happy," Veronica said.

"Who would've thought? You and Logan? I bet Lilly's grinning down at you two," Meg said.

Veronica smiled at the thought. "You think? I hope so," she said. "And I know she'd agree with me about this: Duncan's an idiot! If he can't see what he has in you, then you are better off."

Meg looked sad. "I wish it was that simple. Do you know he managed to convince me to sleep with him? I dated Cole much longer without giving it up, but one whispered word of love from Duncan Kane, and I just said 'yes'. What's wrong with me?" Meg asked. "He got what he wanted from me and then dumped me."

Veronica looked dismayed at Meg's revelation. Duncan had never pressured her for sex. They'd both been virgins, so there'd been no pressure on them to take that step yet. Veronica had never stopped to consider if her first time with him at Shelly's party had been his first time. However, he had changed a lot after Lilly's death as she had. Veronica realized finally that she didn't really know Duncan at all anymore. "I'm so sorry Meg. Duncan and I were both virgins when we dated. Sex hadn't become an issue yet before we broke up. When he dumped me, he didn't even bother telling me why. At least he cared enough to tell you it was over," Veronica said.

"Yeah, but he didn't really tell me anything. He just said it wasn't working out," Meg said. "And I thought we were both happy."

"He told Logan and Dick that his life was a mess, and he couldn't give you what you deserved," Veronica shared.

"That's something at least," Meg said. They walked in silence some more.

Veronica could tell that there was something else bugging Meg. "So what else is going on with you? Are you okay?" Veronica asked in concern.

Meg stopped walking and faced her. "No, Veronica, I'm not, and I don't think I ever will be again. I didn't get my period last month," she revealed.

Veronica's mind raced at the implications. "You're pregnant?" Veronica asked.

"I don't know. I've been too scared to take a pregnancy test. You don't know my parents, Veronica. They'll freak. I'm talking along the lines of sending me to a convent or something," Meg said, upset.

"Won't you be 18 before the end of the year? If you are pregnant, they can't make you do anything," Veronica assured her.

"You don't know my parents. You don't know what they're capable of," Meg said, looking frightened.

Veronica found herself disturbed by the picture Meg was painting. "It doesn't matter. I will help you. You don't know what I'm capable of," Veronica assured her. She pulled Meg in for a hug. Meg held onto her tightly, almost sagging in relief. Keeping her burden to herself had been too much. Veronica Mars was the strongest person she had ever known. If anyone could help her, she could.

****** _Logan******_

Logan was happy that he'd gotten Veronica to finally share last night. She was so private; it was hard to break through her walls. The fact that she'd unbend enough to tell him about Duncan made him really happy. He knew that she would never let herself really love him if she didn't trust him with her secrets. And he had learned that she was a woman of many secrets. He loved that she was so complicated. Things with her would never be boring. At the same time, he was afraid that she'd leave him. If not for Duncan, she'd meet another Leo or someone similar. He knew that he had to keep the peace with Weevil and not let things get out of hand again. However, right now Weevil was not on his mind. The only thing he could focus on was Duncan and the revelations Veronica shared last night. She may not want him to do this, but Logan had to talk to Duncan. He didn't want to let it just lay there in his mind. The entire thing was too disturbing.

So he drove over to the Kanes, and Duncan answered the door. He seemed surprised to see Logan and maybe a little wary.

"Hey, man. Come on in. What's up?" Duncan asked easily.

"Are your parents home?" Logan asked.

"Nah. They came the day I got here but ended up going back to Napa. I don't think they'll be around much until school starts back. It's my senior year, so I know they'll do the expected and come home then," Duncan said.

"Well, I wanted to talk to you about a very uncomfortable subject, but I can't not say something," Logan said, looking intently at Duncan.

"Okay, go ahead," Duncan said.

"First of all, it seems to me after yesterday that you're not comfortable with me dating Veronica. It seems like you're still hung up on her," Logan said. He decided to start with that. Bringing up the rest would be much more difficult for both of them.

"I'm not sure what you expect," Duncan said. "I dated Ronnie a long time."

"Yeah, but you've been broken up a long time and dated several girls since then. Not to mention you ignored her and let me and the rest of the 09ers think she'd done something horrible to you. You let us turn the school against her," Logan accused.

"That was you, man. Don't put that on me!" Duncan defended.

"You know damn well that one word from you, one _real_ word from you, would have ended it. I may be the front man, but you know very well that I'd do whatever you wanted," Logan pointed out. "And so does everyone else. You are the crown prince, the billionaire's son."

Duncan didn't answer right away. Finally, he said, "You're right. I was pathetic. I just let my mom give me the anti-depressant pills and stayed in a cloud of indifference. Having Veronica at first think I might have killed Lilly was horrible, and then finding out who killed my sister for real finally woke me up."

"She actually turned me into the cops, so I know how that feels," Logan said, giving Duncan a rueful smile. Then he said, "DK, Veronica finally told me the real reason you broke up with her. And I gotta say man not only am I disgusted, but I'm disappointed."

Duncan looked taken aback by Logan's revelation. He looked away in embarrassment. "I never understood why my mom hated Veronica. She finally told me about my dad's affair with her mom. She told me Veronica was my sister," Duncan shared.

"And you never questioned the fact that she let you date Veronica to begin with? What kind of parents allow their child to date a girl they think could possibly be their son's sister?" Logan pointed out.

"I don't know, Logan. It's sick and twisted. My mom...well, you know my mom," Duncan said lamely.

"I bet your mom said it just to break you up. There was no proof. Veronica got a DNA test though, so she knows Keith is her dad," Logan said. "I bet you were relieved."

"You can't imagine! I thought she was my _sister_! Knowing I got drunk at Shelly's party and slept with her made it worse. I hated myself. That's why I didn't let myself pay any attention to what you and the rest of the guys were doing to her. I know I was weak, but I felt so guilty and disgusted with myself," Duncan admitted, shamefaced.

"Well, you _were_ weak. If you thought she was your sister, shouldn't you have been like protective or something? You wouldn't have let anyone mistreat Lilly. Not that she needed anyone defending her. But you not only didn't defend Ronnie, but you let her think she'd been raped at Shelly's party. You left her alone. That, my man, is not cool," Logan informed him grimly.

"I had no idea she'd been drugged or that you'd slipped me something. I thought we'd both gotten carried away after one too many drinks. Old feelings and all that. I was horrified. I believed I had sex with my sister!" Duncan exclaimed in disgust.

"Yet you once again abandoned her. You need to get over her, dude! You should've gotten over her the moment you _thought_ she was your sister. The fact that you could even get it up for someone you believed to be your sister blows my mind. Trina is my adopted sister—no blood relation, and there's not enough alcohol or drugs in the world that'd ever get me to have sex with her!" Logan exclaimed, his disgust apparent.

Duncan looked away. He knew Logan was right. There was nothing he could say to make it okay.

"You and she may not be related, and she may forgive the way you treated her. God knows she forgave me for worse, but you can't be mooning over her now, especially not if you want us to be friends. I know she was your girlfriend first, but that was a long time ago and too much has happened. I've lost too much. She's the only good thing in my life, dude, and I won't give her up without a fight. Know that and back off. Go back to Meg. Do whatever you need to do, but move on. Please," Logan said.

He meant every word. Veronica Mars had somehow gone from being his nemesis to being his entire world. He couldn't lose her. Now that he knew about what had gone on with her and Duncan, he no longer felt guilty for dating her. He no longer felt like he'd stolen something from his best friend. The minute incest became a possibility between the two of them is when it should've been over for good. Duncan needed to move on. And if he couldn't do it on his own, Logan would make sure he did because Logan would _not_ give her up. Knowing that Duncan had slept with her thinking they were siblings made Logan feel superior to Duncan for the first time.

Duncan had always been the perfect son, the perfect brother, the perfect friend, and the perfect boyfriend. Logan never even tried to compete really. He looked up to Duncan and felt fortunate to be included in his perfect world, especially when Logan's was often such a nightmare. Now that the illusion about Duncan had been shattered, Logan felt like he'd been reborn. He felt free. Maybe he and Duncan could work this out and be friends again. Maybe not. But for the first time, Logan knew he could handle whatever happened. He no longer felt less in comparison. If Veronica could love Duncan Kane, then Logan knew that one day she would love him. And when she finally did, he'd never let her go.

***** _Chapter End*****_


	7. Duncan's Folly

_******The Next Day******_

Hector was coming out of the grocery store with a bag of things his mom had sent him to get when he noticed Thumper across the street in the corner alley talking to a white guy. Curious, Hector made his way closer and realized that Thumper was talking to one of the many Fitzpatricks. It looked like Thumper was giving the guy some money. When the guy took off, Hector approached Thumper.

"Yo! Thumper!" Hector hollered from across the road. Thumper looked up and crossed the road to him.

"Hola! Your mom got you running errands again?" Thumper asked with a grin. Hector's mom was always sending him to the store for one thing or another. If he couldn't be found, everyone knew to go to the local grocery store, and there Hector would probably be.

"Yeah. Always, man. So why were you giving money to the Fitzpatricks?" Hector asked, giving him a penetrating gaze.

Thumper seemed surprised at the question but quickly replied. "The gringo spotted me some money on a pool game at the Styx the other day. I promised to meet him today and pay up. I'm no Welch—I always pay my debts."

"Since when do you hang out at the Styx?" Hector questioned.

"What's the big deal? I like to play pool," Thumper said, defensively.

"You know there's bad blood between us and the Fitzpatricks," Hector reminded him.

"There's no bad blood between me and them. They hadn't done nothin' to me," Thumper said.

"They killed our old leader," Hector said.

"Not _my_ old leader," Thumper declared sullenly.

Hector didn't want to get into it with Thumper, so he decided to back down. "Okay, whatever. Be careful, mi amigo. Those gringos can't be trusted. They have no problem shooting a man in the back," Hector warned.

"Don't worry, Hec, I can take care of myself," Thumper said with a confident smile. He said goodbye and went back across the street to his bike.

Hector found Thumper's actions and explanation highly suspect. He walked to his bike and strapped the bag down on the back. Weevil needed to know about this.

An hour later, he found Weevil working at his uncle's shop. Weevil got out from under the car he was working on when Hector called his name. "Hector. What brings you by?" Weevil asked, getting to his feet.

"I thought you should know about the scene I witnessed with Thumper," Hector said. Then he told Weevil what went down.

"Did you buy Thumper's explanation?" Weevil asked.

"No. Since when does a Fitzpatrick spot one of us money? Something's going on," Hector said.

Weevil knew he was right. He thought about it a moment. Then he said, "I want you to get close to Thumper. Hang out more with him. Get him to trust you and find out what he's up to."

Hector grinned. "Good idea!" he enthused.

"Don't tell anyone else what you saw. If Thumper wants to challenge me, we need to know who's loyal to him. I don't want to be caught unaware. Everyone knows to stay away from the Fitzpatricks. For him to even hang out at the Styx is a violation of our ranks. I doubt pool is the draw. There's gotta be more to it," Weevil said.

"Yeah and giving the gringo money is muy mal," Hector pointed out. "I'll keep my eye on him and let you know." He waved goodbye.

Weevil watched him go, thinking about what Hector had discovered. Felix hated the Fitzpatricks more than anyone. It had been his brother that they had killed. If Felix had discovered Thumper was somehow in bed with the Fitzpatricks or even hanging out at the Styx, he would have flipped his lid. To Weevil, that sounded like a possible motive for murder. Maybe Thumper needed to be moved up the list of suspects.

****** _The Mars Residence******_

Veronica opened the door and let Meg in. "Come on in. Don't worry. My dad already left for work," Veronica said.

"That's good. I couldn't leave until my parents left, and Lizzie agreed to watch our sister," Meg said. "Thanks so much for doing this."

"Well, you can't exist in limbo like this. You need to know for sure if you're pregnant. I bought two pregnancy tests at the Wal-Mart pharmacy. No one that works there knows me," Veronica said.

"My parents know so many people. I just couldn't bring myself to buy one," Meg said glumly.

"It's better to know one way or another," Veronica told her. They went to her bedroom. Veronica opened up her top dresser drawer and pulled out a bag. "I got two different brands. One will give you a plus sign if you're pregnant, and the other will turn the color it shows on the back of the box."

"I drunk a lot of juice this morning, so I should be able to do the dirty work," Meg said with a nervous smile.

Veronica grabbed her hands. "Hey, you're not alone. Regardless of how your parents react or Duncan, Logan and I will be there for you and so will my dad," Veronica assured her.

"You didn't tell them, did you?" Meg asked, a hint of panic in her voice.

"No. I'm not telling anyone until you're ready. Of course, you may not be pregnant, so go take the tests and find out. Do them both, so we only have to wait once," Veronica advised.

Meg gave her one last scared look before taking the boxes with her in the bedroom. Veronica couldn't believe that Duncan had possibly knocked up Meg, the sweetest and kindest girl in Neptune high. If she was pregnant, Veronica knew that she wouldn't choose abortion because of how religious her and her family was. That meant she'd have the stigma of being the first 09er in their class to have a baby. Veronica knew firsthand how cruel Meg's friends and the rest of the 09ers could be. If Duncan didn't step up, things would be very difficult for her.

Meg told her that she could come in. Veronica went into the bathroom as Meg was washing her hands.

"Did you look at the clock?" Veronica asked.

"Yes. We have two more minutes," Meg said.

"So if it's positive, do you plan on telling your parents or Duncan first?" Veronica asked.

Meg looked a bit ill just thinking of the two choices. "Probably Duncan. If he comes with me to tell my parents, they may not go as crazy," Meg said.

"Maybe you could get his parents to go with you, too," Veronica suggested.

"Oh great! I didn't even think about his parents!" Meg moaned. "His mom thinks he's perfect. She'll blame me!"

"Well, you didn't get pregnant on your own. She got pregnant in high school herself. Or at least that's what she told Jake," Veronica revealed.

"Really? Lilly?" Meg asked in surprise.

"Actually, she knew Jake was in love with my mom and faked a pregnancy to get him to marry her," Veronica shared. With what Meg was going through, she felt no compulsion to protect the Kanes' privacy.

"Wow! You are a fountain of information, aren't you?" Meg teased. Then she looked at the time. "It's time." She looked at the two tests. They told her what she already knew—she was pregnant. She sat down on the toilet and covered her face with her hands and cried.

Veronica looked at the test and knew that those were not tears of relief that Meg was crying. From here on out, it would be an uphill battle. Veronica just hoped that for once Duncan would show a glimmer of the man she used to love and do the right thing.

***** _The Next Day*****_

Veronica was getting ready for work the next morning when Logan called her.

"Good morning, Snookums," Logan said.

Hearing his voice made Veronica smile. "Good morning yourself, Sugarpants," Veronica retorted.

"Sugarpants? What kind of endearment is that?" Logan complained.

"What kind of endearment is 'snookums'"? Veronica replied dryly.

Logan's voice chuckled low in her ear. "Okay, we'll stick with Sugarpuss," Logan said.

Veronica rolled her eyes even though she knew he couldn't see her. "If you must," she said, unable to disguise the smile in her voice.

"I must. So what are you up to today? I miss you. I didn't get to see you yesterday," Logan told her.

"Yeah, sorry about that. I meant to call you. But Meg came over, and we had a lot of things to talk about. She's having a rough time," Veronica explained.

"I'm glad she's talking to you again," Logan said.

"I get off at two. Do you want to meet me at work? We can spend the rest of the day together," Veronica suggested.

"That's the best offer I've had all day," Logan said.

"It better be the _only_ offer you've had all day," Veronica warned.

"Well, it's still early," Logan teased.

"Wrong answer," she said, trying and failing to sound stern.

"How about this: that's the only offer I want to have all day," Logan assured her.

"Better," Veronica said.

"Or you're the only woman that even registers?" he continued.

Veronica's heart warmed at his words. "I knew there was a reason I kept you around," she said.

"When I see you today, I'll give you a few other reasons," Logan said.

Veronica laughed. "Okay, I'll hold you to that. But I gotta get going. I'll see you later," she said.

"I'll be there. Bye," Logan said.

Veronica hung up the phone with a smile on her face. Logan always knew how to make her laugh.

****** _Later that Afternoon at the Java Hut*******_

Slightly after noon, Duncan came into the Hut and sat in Veronica's section. He had a book with him and ordered lunch. Veronica was cordial but not overly friendly. Seeing him brought her mix feelings. Between her talk with Logan and what was going on with Meg, she could no longer look at Duncan the same way she once had.

When his order arrived, she sat it down in front of him without saying anything. Duncan opened his mouth to say something to her, but she turned and went to the front to seat another customer. He stared morosely at her. His talk with Logan was still ringing in his ear. However, he couldn't help but stare longingly at Veronica. She must have caught his look because she marched over to him with that determined look on her face.

"What are you doing?" Veronica demanded.

"Eating a sandwich," Duncan replied, picking it up.

"That's not want I mean. What's with that look you were giving me?" she asked suspiciously.

"You aren't talking to me," Duncan said.

Veronica shrugged. "What do you want me to say?" Veronica asked.

"I don't know, but we used to be friends," Duncan replied.

"We used to be a lot of things," Veronica said grimly.

"I'd like for us to be at least be friends again," Duncan said.

"You don't need to worry about making friends with me. What you need to be doing is worry about the way you've hurt Meg," Veronica said pointedly.

Duncan looked uncomfortable at the sudden direction of the conversation. "I didn't mean to hurt Meg," he said somewhat defensively.

"That's just the thing, Duncan. You never mean to hurt anyone, but you do. Actions have consequences. You can't make women believe you love them and that they're important to you, and then just walk away like they mean nothing," she informed him.

Duncan knew she wasn't just referring to Meg. "I did love you, and you were important to me," he replied. "You still are, and I still do. Our story isn't over. If I hadn't believed what my mom said, you'd still be with me."

Veronica found herself surprised at his sudden boldness. After Logan's talk with him, she hadn't really expected this. "You are unbelievable! Our story _is_ over, especially if you're going to be this stupid!" Veronica exclaimed, genuinely upset. "At one time, I really thought you did love me, but now I know you don't know the meaning of the word! You don't treat people you love the way you treated me. Or the way you're treating Logan by having this conversation. It was bad enough that you hurt me and sat idly by while Logan turned the entire school against me. Then you had to go and pursue the sweetest girl in school and make her love you. I will _never_ be with you again, Duncan. Understand that, accept it, and move on."

"You forgave Logan. Why can't you forgive me?" Duncan asked, doggedly.

Veronica gave him an icy look. "The difference is Logan changed. He apologized and made amends. I know he'll never do it again. However, you're doing the same thing to Meg that you did to me. You got her to trust you and love you; then you just walked away. How can I forgive you?" Veronica asked. She didn't want to bring up what had happened at Shelley's party. Not only was her place of work not the place to have that conversation, but she couldn't stomach having that particular talk.

"Can't we at least be friends? I miss you," Duncan said.

"You miss the me I used to be. The me I am now doesn't want anything to do with you until you step up and be the man you used to be once again. And if you value your friendship with Logan, you won't talk to me like this again," Veronica warned. Then she turned to greet the new arrival. She smiled to see that it was Logan.

Logan had come in to see Veronica talking animatedly to Duncan. She seemed upset. He bent down to give her a light kiss. "You're early," Veronica said.

"I couldn't wait to see you, and I thought I'd grab some lunch and hang out until you got off," Logan replied. "So are you okay? You seem upset. What was Duncan saying?"

"I'm okay. Duncan was just annoying me. After spending the day with Meg and seeing how hurt she is because of Duncan, I find myself impatient with his platitudes," Veronica shared. She grabbed a menu and led him to a table in her section that was adjacent to Duncan. Logan gave Duncan a salute as he walked by but didn't stop to chat.

"Did you want a coke and cheeseburger?" she asked.

"How about a chocolate shake, too?" he suggested.

"Got a sweet tooth today?" Veronica asked, smiling.

"I got a craving for something, and I think the shake will have to do for now," Logan replied with a suggestive grin.

Veronica felt her face heat a bit at the look he was giving her, but she played it cool. She raised an eyebrow at his comment but didn't say anything. Instead, she turned to put in his order.

Logan looked and saw Duncan eying the two of them. His face was devoid of expression. After looking at Logan a long moment, he took out his wallet and put some bills on the table. Then he got up and left. Logan's expression tightened at Duncan's actions. Duncan didn't seem to have heard what Logan said to him the other day. As soon as he could, Duncan was back sniffing around Veronica. Logan had a feeling that if he questioned Veronica, she would give him more unsettling information.

Veronica came back with his coke. "I'll bring your shake with your burger," she said, setting it down.

"Thanks," he said. "You know if Duncan doesn't quit hanging around here, I might have to hurt him."

Veronica looked alarmed at the thought. "No, Logan you can't," she said.

"And why not?" Logan asked, annoyed.

"Because Meg needs him," Veronica said grimly.

Logan looked surprised. He opened his mouth to ask more when Veronica held up her hand. "Please, Logan, don't ask. I can't talk about it. I'll share more when Meg tells me I can. She is hurt, but she still loves Duncan. It's been hard enough on her thinking Duncan never loved her," Veronica said.

"How could he when he's still in love with you?" Logan said sourly.

"Duncan isn't in love with me. He's in love with what used to be back when his sister was alive. That's all," Veronica insisted.

"I hope you're right," Logan said. However, he didn't for one moment believe that, but he could pretend to believe it if it made Veronica happy.

_*****Chapter End*****_

_Disclaimer: Yes, I know that Veronica didn't actually know about Celeste possibly being pregnant until season 2, but I wanted her to have some reason to reassure Meg so let's pretend, okay? Also, forgive me if I got the detail wrong about Felix's brother being the old leader. It kind of works well with my story, so I hope you'll let it go!_


	8. Veronica's World Heats Up

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> I'm not sure what came over me, but this chapter is rated M for Mature. I apologize in advance if it's too much!

***** _A few days later*****_

Veronica and Logan were hanging out at her apartment when Veronica got a call from Meg. She excused herself and took the call in her room. Logan looked puzzled but assumed it was about a case.

Meg was depressed because she hadn't yet figured out how to tell Duncan about her pregnancy.

"Why don't you give me a day to figure out something?" she said to Meg. "I'll call you later."

"Veronica, I'm not sure how I'd get through this without you. Thanks for everything," Meg said.

Veronica said goodbye and went back to Logan.

"Mysterious calls? Should I be jealous?" Logan asked with a smile.

"A little mystery is good for any relationship," Veronica replied. "However, that was Meg. She's still having a rough time."

"DK is a fool. He let you get away based on a bogus possibility and now Meg. Lilly really did get all the brains," Logan said.

"Duncan is book smart, but you're right. He doesn't always see the big picture," Veronica said. She sat back down next to Logan, and he put his arm around her.

When she was silent for several minutes, Logan looked at her in concern. "Are you okay?" Logan asked.

"Yeah, I was just thinking. I've got to find a way to get Duncan and Meg together in the same place without making it obvious," Veronica said.

Logan groaned. "Why do I have a feeling I'm not going to like this plan?" Logan complained.

Veronica gave him a slow smile. "What if it involved me in a bikini?" she asked.

Logan's expression perked up. "Really? Then I'm definitely interested. What are you thinking?" Logan asked.

"I know your stooges were talking about a Fourth of July party and that's kind of soon. However, this can't wait a week. How about a small gathering at your house?" Veronica suggested.

"How small?" Logan asked.

Veronica thought for a moment. "How about a few of my friends and a few of yours? Wallace hasn't hung out with you at all since we started dating. He's become my closest friend, and I can invite Mac. Of course, Meg, too," Veronica said.

"Well, I'll tell Dick. He and Beaver will come. They both seem fascinated by your computer friend. It's funny to see Dick talk to a woman without immediately trying to look down her shirt," Logan said with a smirk.

"He better not be looking down Mac's shirt. Mac is too smart to fall for his ridiculous games," Veronica said.

"Opposites attract," Logan pointed out.

"There's opposites; then there's 'no way in hell,'" Veronica remarked dryly.

Logan grinned. "Anyway, Beaver will keep him in line. I'll call Duncan and make sure he's there," Logan said.

"Don't mention Meg. I don't want him to back out. And especially don't say anything to Dick," Veronica said.

"I really am just a pretty face to you, aren't I?" Logan inquired with a frown.

Veronica laughed and patted his cheek. "I'm sorry, sweet-cheeks! I just want to make sure this works. Meg's got to have a chance to talk to Duncan. It's important," Veronica said.

"I need more than that," Logan replied.

Veronica tilted her head. Logan laughed. "Effective but not exactly what I had in mind," Logan said.

Veronica moved until she was straddling him. "Better?" she asked.

"So much," Logan replied with a happy sigh as he moved his hands to lightly rub her back.

Veronica smiled and leaned down to kiss him. Logan returned her kiss with fervor. It didn't take for Logan long to realize that he couldn't continue with her straddling him so closely. Without breaking the kiss, he moved her over until she was on her back, and he was leaning over her. She broke off the kiss with a heavy breath. "Closer," she gasped.

Logan looked at her questioningly. She tugged him down until he was lying fully on top of her. "I like the feel of you on top of me," she told him, her arms holding him close.

"Really? What else do you like?" he asked grinning.

"Your hands touching me, and your lips kissing my neck," Veronica said giving him a seductive look.

"I think I can do that," Logan said moving closer. He kissed her neck, sucking lightly. She moaned in pleasure and moved to give him more room. He moved his lips back to her mouth and teased her lips with his tongue until she opened up and accepted his kiss. Her arms tightened around him, the passion igniting between them. Being so close to her made Logan a bit nuts. He wanted her so much. He broke off the kiss and took a deep breath, trying to slow his pulse and reign in his reaction to her.

"Why did you stop?" Veronica asked.

"I just need a minute. You're potent," Logan said.

Veronica knew he was a lot more experienced than her, and she appreciated his effort to not push her. She wasn't ready to sleep with him, but she thought they could move past first base. She sat up, causing him to look at her in concern.

"I'm sorry," he said, unnecessarily. He moved and gave her some space.

"Don't apologize. I just thought we were ready for a little more," Veronica said, flashing him an impish grin.

"Why Veronica, I didn't know you were so desperate to see me without my shirt," Logan teased. He pulled his shirt off over his head, causing her to giggle.

"Not exactly what I meant but okay. However, I was thinking something more like this," she said. When she moved to remove her own shirt, Logan's eyes widened in surprise.

"And it's not even my birthday!" he exclaimed with a happy grin. Veronica didn't get a chance to reply before he moved and covered her body once again with his own. The feel of his bare skin against hers caused her to gasp in surprise. However, before she could do more than run a hand down his bare chest, he kissed her furiously. Even though she still had on her bra, the image excited Logan. As he continued to kiss her, he fondled her breast through her bra. Veronica squirmed in reaction.

Logan moved his hands and pushed up the bra, squeezing her naked breasts. Veronica gave a sexy moan. Logan released her lips and trailed kisses down her neck. He looked at her for permission before moving down. Veronica's eyes were clouded with passion, and she made no move to stop him. Since she seemed comfortable, he couldn't resist her lusciously bared breasts any longer. He moved down and took a nipple into his mouth and sucked.

Veronica eyes widened in surprise. Even though she technically wasn't a virgin, she had no memories of her first time with Duncan. She hadn't realized her breasts were so sensitive. Logan's lips on her breasts caused her to burn hotly. He moved to her other breast, causing her to shout out his name.

Her reaction to his administrations made Logan harden painfully in response. He knew he needed to stop, but he was dying to bring her to orgasm. Knowing that she had no memories of her one and only sexual encounter with Duncan made Logan want to give her all her other firsts. Although her breasts were obviously sensitive, he knew enough about a woman's body to know she'd need more. He moved back up her body and kissed her once again.

Veronica was lost in a fog of desire. She'd always loved kissing. Kissing Duncan had been sweet and exciting because he was her first real boyfriend. However, Logan overwhelmed her. She felt so much so fast that it seemed like she was going to be consumed. She knew she needed to make him stop, but she wasn't quite ready. Her dad wouldn't be back for hours, and this felt so good. So when Logan broke off the kiss and asked her, "Do you trust me?" she nodded her head without hesitation.

He moved his hand down her stomach and slipped it under the band of her shorts. He kept his eyes locked with hers, gauging her response. She didn't blink but waited to see what he'd do next. Logan didn't make a move to pull down her shorts. Instead, he just pushed his hand underneath her panties until he found her clit. When he began to rub it with two of his fingers, she moaned, "Oh, God, Logan!" and closed her eyes. Her legs opened up to give him more room. Veronica felt something begin to build inside of her. She could feel her body tense in anticipation. Logan sped up his movements. When he paused, she protested and opened her eyes. Logan flashed her a wicked grin. "Do you like that?" he asked.

"Enough to hurt you if you stop now," she replied, giving him an annoyed look.

He just grinned and moved his hand a bit until he could work a finger inside of her. Her juices were flowing so much that it slid in easily. He pumped it in and out while his other hand reached up and pinched the tip of one of her nipples. Veronica's body flushed in reaction. Logan moved back to her clit and took it between his thumb and index finger while sucking hard on her other nipple. She screamed as she finally came. Logan looked quite pleased with himself when she opened her eyes. "You are so explosive," Logan remarked in awe.

"And you are so talented," Veronica said, looking very satisfied. She pulled him back down for a kiss. The afternoon was turning out to be better than she planned.

***** _The Next Day*****_

Mac pulled up to Logan Echolls' house wondering what the hell she was doing there. She really liked her new friend Veronica, but she wasn't sure if she belonged in the world that she'd suddenly been thrust in. Eying the Echolls' mansion warily, she got out of the car. Her mom had been such a huge fan all Mac's life of both of Logan's parents, and she had been so sad when Lynn Echolls killed herself. In fact, she talked about her so much that Mac had been hard pressed not to walk up to Logan and actually offer her condolences. Luckily, she'd refrained. He only seemed slightly less intimidating when he was dating Veronica.

When Aaron had gotten arrested for Lilly Kane's murder and attempted murder of Veronica, Mac had gotten into a heated argument with her mother. Her mom didn't want to believe Aaron was guilty. However, she knew that Mac and Veronica were friends. Eventually, she quit defending him. Two weeks after his arrest, Mac found all his movies in their trash. Needless to say, Mac did not tell her mom about today's pool party. That was a conversation that required a lot more energy than Mac wanted to give.

Veronica had told her not to ring the bell but to go around the side of the house to the pool. The gate would be open. She had given Mac the password to the main gate, so Mac had no problems getting in. Her stomach clenched in nervousness as she opened the gate that led to the pool. Even though it was a pool party, Mac had no intention of wearing a bathing suit in front of four 09ers, one of them being Duncan Kane, her childhood crush. But she had conceded enough to wear shorts and a tank top. Although her skin had a light tan due to her forced summer camping trip, she was still pale by Neptune standards. Veronica told her that Meg Mannings would be here. Mac knew she'd look like a ghost in comparison. Dick would quickly exchange his nickname of Ghost World for Casper if he saw more of her bare skin.

Veronica was frolicking in the pool with Logan when she saw Mac come in. Logan was trying to get her to make-out in the pool while Dick was throwing out suggestive comments. Duncan had yet to arrive.

"Mac!" Veronica shouted, happy to see her. She pushed Logan off her and swam to the side of the pool that was closest to Mac.

"Hey, it's Ghost World! Where's your bikini? Didn't Veronica tell you it was a pool party?" Dick asked with suggestive leer. "If you don't have one, no sweat. Clothing is optional."

"Leave her alone, Dick, before I cut yours off," Veronica warned, giving Dick a look that had him holding up his hands in surrender. Cassidy snickered at her threat.

Wallace came out of the house with a pile of uncooked hamburger patties. "How did I become the designated cook?" Wallace asked.

"Because you love me, and I don't trust Dick to cook my food," Veronica replied with a grin.

"I got the grill nice and hot," Dick assured him.

"Don't have it too hot or the burgers will burn on the outside and not be cooked on the inside," Cassidy warned. He followed Dick over to the grill. The three boys began cooking lunch.

Mac was glad to escape all the sudden scrutiny. She happily sat down on a lounge chair and pulled out the Orson Scott Card book she had been reading.

Veronica managed to detangle herself from Logan and pull herself out of the pool so that she could join Mac. "Go get us something to drink," she said to Logan. "Please," she added, flashing him a saucy grin.

"Only because you finally said please," Logan replied. He got out of the pool and went inside.

"Thanks for coming," Veronica said to Mac as she sat down on the lounge chair next to her.

"I can't believe I'm at the Echolls' house," Mac said. "Please, don't mention it to my mom. She's still sore over discovering her longtime crush is a murderer."

Veronica grimaced. "It never fails to amaze me how many people fall for a pretty face," she said.

"And you didn't?" Mac teased, looking pointedly at Logan.

"Logan is much more than a pretty face; I assure you," Veronica said.

"Oh, I believe you. He's got the deep and tortured look down pat," Mac said, grinning.

Veronica laughed. "Bad boys do have a sensitive soul. At least mine does," she said.

"I'll take your word for it since I've not got a boy, bad or good," Mac said with a sad sigh.

"Cheer up. Cassidy is sneaking looks at you. Verdict is still out on whether or not being Dick's brother automatically makes him bad or not," Veronica teased.

Mac's face heated up, and she looked over toward the grill. Cassidy was looking at her, but when he saw her notice him looking, he quickly looked away. Logan walked up to them carrying drinks. Whatever he said to them caused Dick to laugh loudly.

"Hey, before Logan makes it over here, I wanted to tell you that things could get awkward when Duncan arrives. Things have been tense with him and Logan. Not to mention Meg will be here and wants to talk to Duncan. I made need you to help me keep Dick from being a problem," Veronica said.

"Me? You want me to corral Dick? Isn't that his brother's job?" Mac asked, looking a bit nervous at the thought.

"Yes, but Cassidy is no real match for his brother," Veronica said. "Wallace will help, too. I just may have to focus on Meg and won't be able to keep him in line."

"Well, I don't know how good my Dick handling skills will be," Mac said.

Logan walked up in time to hear Mac's comment. "Why Cindy Mackenzie, I didn't know you signed up to put your hands on Dick!" Logan quipped.

Mac wished the earth would open up and swallow her. However, she took comfort in the fact that Logan actually knew her full name.

Veronica glared at Logan. "That is _not_ what she was saying, and you know it!" Veronica exclaimed. "I was asking her to help keep your stooge in line when Duncan and Meg get here. I may be distracted."

Logan frowned at the reminder. "Why do I have a bad feeling about this reunion you've orchestrated?" Logan asked.

"Because you know me so well," Veronica said with a saucy grin.

Their conversation was interrupted by a loud whistle. They looked to see Dick whistling and ogling Meg as she came in carrying a plate of something. "I hope you're wearing a bikini underneath!" Dick yelled.

Meg rolled her eyes but smiled. She was more than used to Dick Casablancas' flirting. He couldn't seem to help it. "You'll have to wait and see," she replied. "But I brought cookies."

"Sweet!" Dick said.

Veronica jumped up and intercepted Meg before Dick could pounce. "The cookies are for dessert. After you stooges feed me edible burgers!" Veronica informed him. She introduced Meg to Mac. Although they'd had a class or two together, they had never really talked before. Veronica knew, though, they'd like each other. Everyone liked Meg, and Mac was sweet and funny.

"Let's go take the cookies to the kitchen, so the boys don't devour them before lunch is ready," Veronica suggested.

Logan surprised Mac by sitting down in the chair Veronica vacated. For the first time in her young life, Mac had the sole attention of Logan Echolls. He saw the book she was reading. "Are you liking that book?" he asked, indicating _Ender's Game_.

"Um, yea. I'm just halfway through it, but it's really good," Mac said.

"Wait until you get to the end. You're in for the shock of your life," Logan said. "There's several books in that series. They're all good, but nothing tops that first one."

Mac was so surprised that one of the most popular boys in school had read not one but all of Orson Scott Card's books. Her surprise was so great that she found herself at a loss to respond. Finally, she said, "I'll let you know how I find the ending."

Logan gave her a winsome smile and got up to greet Duncan who had finally arrived. Veronica was inside with Meg, so Logan knew that he should maneuver Duncan inside. It was better to get the talk over with inside, away from other prying eyes. He just hoped that whatever was going on with Meg and Duncan would not completely ruin their afternoon.

***** _To Be Continued*****_


	9. Meg Shares Her Secret

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> I know most of you detest Duncan mainly due to the fact that the writers of VM chose to pair him back with Veronica in season 2. Trying to come to terms with who he is was what prompted me to write my first VM story. In this story, I'm going to write him as honestly as I can based on the guy we knew from season 2. If you can let go of the image of Veronica with him, you might be able to accept better the way I wrote him in this chapter.

_******Where We Left Off at the Pool Party******_

Meg followed Veronica into Logan's kitchen. She sat the cookies down on the counter. "I'm not sure if I can do this, Veronica," Meg said nervously.

Veronica patted her arm reassuringly. "Sure you can. Do you love Duncan?" she asked Meg.

"I really thought I did, but I don't know anymore," Meg said sadly.

"Well, do you think he'd make a good daddy for your baby?" Veronica asked.

"Yeah, I do. That is if he actually tried," Meg said dubiously.

"Don't worry. If he doesn't step up, I'm prepared to make him," Veronica said, her face tightening.

"Do I want to let him be involved if he really doesn't want to?" Meg pointed out.

"Would you rather deal with your parents without his support?" Veronica inquired.

Meg noticeably blanched at the thought. The thought of telling her parents terrified her. Regardless of how Duncan felt about her, she had to have his support when it came to her pregnancy. It was the only way she was going to get through this.

"Look who finally arrived," Logan said as he entered the kitchen. The girls looked and saw that Duncan was right behind him. Duncan looked surprised to see Meg. Veronica narrowed her eyes at him as if daring him to do anything to hurt Meg. Duncan knew that look. He smiled at Meg. "Hi, Meg. How are you?" he asked.

"I've been better," she replied. She opened her mouth to say more and faltered. She gave Veronica a panicked look.

"Duncan, Meg needs to talk to you about something that's very important, and you are going to listen. And I sincerely hope you step up and be the man I always thought you were," Veronica said. She leaned over and said softly to Meg, "We'll be right outside if you need us."

Veronica gave Duncan one last look of warning and then reached for Logan's hand and pulled him along. "This is going to put a damper on the pool party, won't it?" Logan asked Veronica as they walked away.

"Probably. It depends on how Duncan reacts," Veronica said.

They made it back to their friends to find that Cassidy had wandered over to Mac, and the two were talking. Cassidy was looking at the book that she brought. "Ah, nerds in love. How sweet!" Logan observed.

Veronica elbowed him. "I'll bet good money that you've already read the book Mac is reading, so careful with the nerd accusation," Veronica said knowingly. Logan just grinned. They headed to the grill to see how the burgers were doing. Veronica was pleased to see that Wallace and Dick were getting along well. They were discussing the Lakers. Dick had told Wallace that his dad had season tickets that he rarely used.

"Are you kidding? That's just plain wrong. You rich people don't deserve what you got. A brotha would never waste such treasures!" Wallace complained dramatically.

"Dude, you can totally have a ticket. Beaver doesn't really care for basketball. Casey and Luke sometimes go with me, but both of them are out of town now. There's a game next Tuesday," Dick said.

Wallace looked at Dick as if he just cured cancer. "Really?" he asked hopefully.

Veronica was so happy that Dick was being so generous with her best friend that she wanted to hug Dick. "Quick, distract me. Dick's being so nice to Wallace that I want to hug him," she said to Logan, looking disgusted with herself.

Logan grinned. "Dick's not all bad, sugarpuss. When he likes someone, he's the most generous and loyal person you'll ever meet. You just bring out his annoying side," Logan told her.

Veronica thought about that. She was mean to Dick, usually first. Mainly because she knew that he had been responsible for her car issues more than once. Not to mention, he thought it was funny to put her drugged self alone in a room to be molested. Just thinking about it made her dislike for him come roaring back. It was going to take her a lot longer to get over Dick's boorish and borderline criminal behavior. However, as long as he played nice with her friends, she could give him the benefit of the doubt.

Logan and Veronica moved to admire the nicely grilled burgers that Wallace was removing from the grill.

After Ronnie and Logan came up to them, Dick finally noticed that Beaver had abandoned him and Wallace and looked to see where he wandered off to. Seeing him in discussion with Ronnie's quirky friend caught his attention. Never liking to be left out, he wandered over to them to see what they were talking about. He found them talking enthusiastically about Mac's book. Dick grabbed a chair and put it by the table that was between the two lounge chairs. "So what's the big deal about this book?" he asked. Mac showed it to him. "Ender's Game? Are you a gamer?" he asked Mac.

"Actually, yes, but the book isn't about computer games exactly. It's a sci-fi futuristic book about a boy genius sent to military school when he was just six to learn how to be the greatest military leader the world has ever known. The planet had fought off alien invaders once decades before only because of this one great military leader, so they were trying to reproduce him," Mac explained.

"So they play these military games and fight against other students. Ender's the youngest and still manages to outsmart all his opponents," Cassidy added. "It's a great book. Wait until you get to the end. It's awesome!"

"That's what Logan said," Mac said happily.

"Logan's read this?" Dick asked in surprise.

"Yes, he told me he'd read the whole series," Mac replied.

"Logan's a smart dude," Dick said loyally.

"I figured he must be, or Veronica wouldn't be dating him," Mac said.

"True," Dick conceded.

"Burgers are ready!" Wallace yelled. "Or at least enough for one a piece. I got more going."

Cassidy got up to go toward the grill. Dick moved to follow and noticed Mac wasn't moving. "Are you coming?" he asked her.

"I don't eat meat," Mac explained.

"Yeah, I know. That's a bit whacked-up, but whatever floats your boat. Logan bought some of those nasty soy burgers for you. We put two on the grill for you with the first batch," Dick told her.

Mac smiled in surprise. Logan Echolls was full of surprises.

****** _In the Kitchen with Duncan and Meg******_

"So what did you want to talk to me about? Are you okay?" Duncan asked.

"No, I'm not. I'm pregnant," Meg said without preamble. It was the only way she would be able to get the words out. Now it was done, so she waited for his response.

Duncan felt like he'd been suckered punched. "What?" he asked, shocked.

"I'm pregnant. You managed to knock me up right before you dumped me. Congratulations. Forgive me if I don't nominate you for boyfriend of the year," Meg said, surprising them both with her sudden sarcasm.

Duncan's mind was reeling. He knew better than to ask if he was the father. He knew very well that he was the only man Meg had been with. No wonder Veronica had been so disgusted with him. She knew. Feeling ashamed of himself, he tried to push all thoughts of Veronica from his mind. Now he understood what she tried to tell them. They would never be together again. Focusing on Meg, he asked, "What do you need from me? Have you been to the doctor?" he asked.

Meg was surprised at his easy acceptance. She had been half afraid that he'd try to deny he was the father. If he had, she would have been crushed. All things considered, his response was more than she had hoped for. "I haven't been to the doctor. I'm afraid to go to my doctor because he's a close friend of my dad's," Meg said.

"I'll make an appointment with my doctor. Then we'll tell my parents first. I think that'll be best, don't you?" Duncan asked.

"Yes. My parents will go insane. There's no telling how they will react," Meg said worriedly.

"What can they do? Sixteen is the age of consent in California, and you'll be eighteen in a few months. They can't do anything to you. Besides, I won't let them," Duncan assured her.

Meg was warmed at his support. She didn't know why she was so surprised. This was the man she'd fell in love with. She made a conscious effort to remind herself that he didn't love her. "Thanks," she said softly.

She walked to the kitchen chair and sat down. She knew that they had a lot to talk about, but she didn't really have the energy.

Duncan followed her and sat down next to her. "I'm sorry, Meg. Sorry that I hurt you. I'm sorry if I pressured you to have sex with me before you were ready," he said.

She raised her eyes in surprise. "You didn't pressure me," she said.

"I must have to some degree. We were only dating a few months. You dated Cole much longer and never slept with him," Duncan said.

"I never wanted to sleep with him. I didn't love him," Meg said. She gazed at him without faltering; making sure that he understood what she was trying to say.

Understanding what she meant caused Duncan to feel a bit sick with guilt. No wonder Veronica would barely look at him. He made Meg love him, slept with her, and then dumped her. All because he couldn't move past what he had once with Veronica. Feeling like slime, he slumped in the chair. He could almost hear his sister's voice: _You've really screwed up, Donut! Time to man up!"_ Taking a deep breath, he reached for her hand and squeezed it. "We'll get through this. Together," he assured her.

Meg felt some of the tension that she'd been carrying around for weeks begin to drain out of her. She gave Duncan a grateful look.

***** _Poolside*****_

"Where did Meg and Duncan disappear to?" Dick asked after he finished his burger.

"They are talking in the kitchen," Veronica replied.

"Are they getting back together?" Cassidy inquired.

"I'm not sure," Veronica replied.

"I can't believe Duncan dumped Meg in the first place. Cole I understood 'cause he was dumb enough to believe that purity test, but Duncan and Meg are like perfect together, don't you think?" Dick asked.

Veronica looked at Dick in surprise. "Yeah, I thought so, too. Relationships are complicated," Veronica said.

Then Dick reminded her of why she always wanted to hit him with his next comment. "Maybe you should use your Taser on Duncan, so he'll quit mooning over you and appreciate Meg more," Dick said with a wink.

Logan laughed. "Now that's an idea!" he agreed.

"Don't encourage him!" Veronica admonished.

"So you liked the purity tests, huh?" Mac asked Dick with a grin. She shared a smile with Veronica.

"That was a work of genius! Did you see all those cat fights? School has never been so exciting!" Dick enthused.

Mac looked annoyed. She wasn't proud of the fact that someone had posted everyone's scores and didn't appreciate the reminder. It was bad enough than someone managed to post fake tests for Veronica and Meg. "I don't think the person who created the test was the one who posted everyone's score. That reeked of a hacker to me," Mac said. No need to confess all her secrets.

"Yeah, you're probably right," Cassidy said. "That didn't make good business sense. The site would get a lot of hits at first, but bad publicity would hurt the site long term. Posting other people's score seemed counterproductive. Word would spread and no one would take the test."

Dick looked at his brother in surprise. "Whatever, dude. I just thought the whole thing was funny. I'd like to meet the genius guy who came up with the idea," Dick said.

"Why do you assume it's a guy?" Veronica asked with a grin.

Logan looked sharply at her. He saw the silent communication that went on between her and Mac. Suddenly, a thought occurred to him. "It was you, wasn't it?" he asked Mac with a grin.

Mac was caught off guard by his question and looked to Veronica for help. Veronica wanted to keep her from embarrassment; however, she also admired Mac's genius and thought it'd be good for her to have others feel the same. Veronica just smiled proudly.

"What? That was you?" Dick exclaimed in disbelief. "No way!" He looked at Mac in awe.

"My new car and I both thank you for your support," Mac said, flashing her dimples.

Both Dick and Cassidy gave her an admiring look. "Impressive," Cassidy remarked with a smile.

"You totally rock!" Dick agreed.

"I did not post Veronica and Meg's scores. That was some spiteful cheerleaders. One was sleeping with the school's tech guy, who gave her access to the students' emails." Mac said.

"Contrary to what _some_ people thought, I didn't even take the test," Veronica said pointedly to Dick, annoyance in her voice.

"Sure, Ronnie. We believe you," Dick said, humoring her. However, his grin spoke volumes.

Veronica looked ready to shove him in the pool. Logan put his arm around her. "I believe you, sugarlips," he said.

"More like hot lips," Dick said with a snicker.

Cassidy and Wallace both laughed.

"You know I brought my Taser, right?" Veronica told Dick pointedly.

He held up his hand in surrender.

Wallace decided to help his girl out. "Didn't you have summer classes today?" he asked Logan.

"We did, too," Dick said with a laugh. "Thanks for giving us a reason to skip," he said to Veronica.

"It was for a good cause," Veronica replied.

"Let me show you my appreciation," Dick said. He got up and picked Veronica up before she could respond. His friends watched in amazement as Dick jumped in the pool with Veronica. She came up sputtering.

"I'm going to kill you!" Veronica yelled. She jumped on him and dunked him.

"Pool fight!" Wallace yelled. He threw off his shirt and jumped in.

Cassidy joined him. Logan looked at Mac with a grin. Mac's eyes got big. "I don't have on a suit!" she said.

"Shorts will do. Come on!" He reached over and grabbed her hand. He pulled her to her feet and before she could reply he had pulled her to the edge of the pool.

"Logan, I don't want to," Mac tried to protest.

"Sure, you do. It'll be fun!" Logan said with a grin. "Kick off your sandals. On three. One, two, three!" He jumped and forced her to jump with him.

Duncan and Meg made it back to the pool to find their friends all trying to drown each other. "Looks like the party started without us. Shall we?" he asked, indicating the pool. He took off his shirt and kicked off his shoes.

Meg smiled and pulled off her clothes, revealing her two-piece. She couldn't help but be pleased at Duncan's admiring look. Then the two of them jumped in the pool with their friends.

Veronica managed to get Dick in a head lock. "Ow, Ronnie! That hurts!" Dick yelled. He tried to detangle himself, but she was like a leech.

Logan swam up to Veronica and pulled her into his arms away from Dick. "How about I get some of your attention, woman?"

Veronica turned in his arms and put her arms around his neck. She smiled at him. "I think we can work something out," she said. Logan grinned and kissed her. He broke off the kiss and looked at their friends. Dick was splashing Meg and Mac, who were protesting and splashing back. Duncan and Cassidy decided to come to their aid and directed their splashing toward Dick, who suddenly found himself overwhelmed on all sides. "Everyone's playing nice," Logan remarked.

"Yes. It looks like everyone is getting along great. The talk obviously went well with Meg and Duncan," Veronica said.

Wallace snuck up to the couple and doused them both with a huge splash of water. After they quit sputtering, the chase was on.

***** _An Hour or so Later******_

They eventually got tired of trying to drown one another and played a game of water volleyball. Mac was pleased to discover that she wasn't half bad in water. However, she wasn't used to such physical exertion and called it quits after about an hour.

"You can't quit now, Mackie. We're winning!" Dick protested.

"Well, just declare us the winner. I need a break," Mac said.

"Me, too," Meg said.

So when the ladies lost interest and pulled out of the pool, the disgruntled men were forced to follow suit. "I haven't got to eat yet anyway," Duncan said.

Logan pointed to the food. "You might want to heat them up in the microwave," Logan advised. He got up to help.

"Bring back the cookies!" Veronica ordered.

As Duncan and Logan walked into the kitchen, Duncan said, "So I guess you know what's going on with Meg."

"No, not really. Veronica is tight with her secrets. I know Meg's upset, and you have something to do with it," Logan said.

"She's pregnant," Duncan shared. He put the burgers in the microwave.

Logan's eyes widened in surprise. "You're joking, right?" he asked.

"I wish I was," Duncan said grimly.

"Is she keeping the baby?" Logan asked.

"We didn't get that far. Just taking in the news was enough. I know she won't get an abortion, and I can't image Meg giving up her baby, can you?" Duncan asked.

"No," Logan replied.

"I told her I'd get an appointment with my doctor, and then we'd tell my parents. Getting them on board will make dealing with the Mannings easier," Duncan said.

"I'm sorry, dude. I'm here for you if you need me. It's going to be tough," Logan remarked.

"Thanks. I know I've been a horrible friend and don't deserve your support," Duncan said. "But things will be rough for Meg when school starts."

Logan thought about what the school put Veronica through and mentally winced. Of course, he was mostly responsible. Although he knew that he and Duncan could offer Meg protection, they could not completely control the female 09ers, who were known for their viciousness and spite. They would particularly target Meg because she had been held in such esteem. "We'll just have to make it clear that anyone who hurts her will regret it," Logan said.

The microwave dinged, and Duncan took out the meat. Logan grabbed the cookies, and the two headed back outside.

After Duncan and Meg ate, Dick said, "We should play Truth or Dare."

"I don't think that's a good idea," Mac said dubiously. She'd manage to live all of her seventeen years avoiding playing that particular game. It helped that she didn't have a lot of girlfriends.

"Me either," Veronica agreed.

"Come on, Ronnie. Don't be such a wet blanket. It'll be fun," Dick said.

"Yeah, Ronnie, what are you afraid of?" Logan asked with a grin.

"Nothing. Fine. Let's play. I get to go first," Veronica said. "Wallace, Truth or Dare?"

"Truth," Wallace replied. He knew better than to dare Veronica.

"Is it true that you know all the songs in the movie _Grease_?" Veronica asked with a saucy grin.

"Hey, you can't use your personal knowledge against me! That's not fair!" Wallace protested while everyone laughed.

"There is nothing in the Truth or Dare bylaws that says I can't!" Veronica replied with a smug grin. "So tell us, Wallace, do you or do you not know all the songs in _Grease_?"

Wallace glared at her and mumbled, "Yes."

"Dude, are you a girl?" Dick asked laughing.

"It's one of my mom's favorite movies," Wallace explained.

"It's your turn now," Logan reminded him after the snickering died down.

Wallace would love to get Veronica back, but he knew she'd pick a dare and there wasn't much she wouldn't dare to do. So instead, he said to Logan, "Truth or Dare?"

Logan smirked. "Truth," he said.

"Did you secretly want Veronica even when you were actively turning the entire school against her?" Wallace asked when a smug look at him and Veronica.

Dick let out a whistle. "Nice!"

Logan grinned unabashedly. "Of course! Foreplay! Not that I realized it at the time, but when a girl is all you think about even in hatred, it's a sign."

Duncan looked uncomfortable. Meg noticed and wasn't happy. Veronica looked a bit outraged. "That's your idea of foreplay? You need some serious help!" Veronica informed him with a frown.

Logan leaned over and kissed her neck. Then he whispered in her ear, "You've always been able to tie me in knots, sugarlips. I should have known it was passion and not true rage I was feeling." Then he placed a soft kiss on her lips.

Wallace threw a Cheeto at the couple. "None of that! My eyes can't take it!" he exclaimed.

Dick joined him and threw another Cheeto. "I agree!"

Logan pulled away with a smug grin. Then he said, "Okay, it's my turn." His eyes zeroed in on Duncan. "Okay, DK, your turn. Truth or Dare?"

"Dare," Duncan said.

"I dare you to kiss one of the girls here today," Logan said. His eyes challenged Duncan, daring him to kiss Veronica. Is he really going to let her go?

Duncan knew better than that. If he was going to be a father, he had to get past what he had with Veronica. It was really over. He looked at Meg. It'd be easiest to kiss her. However, with what was going on between them, he knew it could upset her. She was going through enough. So his eyes focused on Mac. He looked at her and smiled. Her eyes got really big. She was kind of cute. He moved closer to her. "Don't worry. I didn't put onions on my burger," he told her. Before Mac could protest or move away (her body was frozen in shock), he leaned in and placed a soft kiss on her lips.

When he pulled away, Mac still looked stunned. She put her hand to her lips, unable to believe that Duncan Kane had kissed her. She used to dream about this moment. Now, however, with everyone looking at her and grinning, she wasn't sure it met her schoolgirl expectations. Cassidy was frowning while Dick was grinning. "Your kiss has left her speechless, Duncan," Dick said.

Mac's eyes narrowed on him. "Okay, Dick, Truth or Dare?"

Predictably, Dick said, "Dare."

Mac's mind raced with a suitable punishment for him. However, the only thing he could think of would upset Veronica. She hoped their friendship could take it. Throwing an apologetic look at Veronica, she said, "I dare you to kiss Veronica."

Dick looked scared for a moment and then a huge grin split his face. Veronica yelled, "Hell no!"

"I let Duncan kiss me. You have to just grin and bear it," Mac said smiling.

"Don't worry, sugarlips, if his hands roam, I'll hold him down while you taser him!" Logan assured her with a grin.

"Your tongue better stay in your mouth!" Veronica warned.

"I can't make any promises," Dick said with a grin.

"Just get this over with," Veronica said sourly.

Dick made a big production out of spraying his mouth with breath freshener while Veronica rolled her eyes. Wallace, Cassidy, and Duncan couldn't contain their laughter. Even Meg and Mac where enjoying Veronica's discomfort and Dick's glee. Dick gave Cassidy his phone with instructions for him to photograph the encounter. If looks could kill, then Dick would be dead. He just smirked at Veronica's outrage. Then the laughter broke lose when Dick placed a loud smack on her lips. The cheers must have gone to Dick's head because before Veronica could pull away, Dick decided to steal a real kiss. Veronica quickly grabbed his ear and twisted.

"Ow! Ow! I'm sorry!" Dick shouted in pain.

Veronica released him with a shove. "Try that again and I'll take Logan up on his offer," she told Dick.

"Okay, okay! I'm sorry! I was just messing around," Dick said.

"How about we move on?" Wallace suggested. "It's your turn to pick someone, Dick."

Dick grinned happily. Then his eyes zeroed in on Mac. She looked nervously back at him. "Truth or Dare, Ghost World."

"Truth," she said firmly. There was no way that she was going to kiss anyone else.

"Have you ever or do you currently like anyone of the guys here today?" Dick asked with a grin.

Mac wanted to die. If she answered honestly, everyone would assume she liked someone here now. She had gotten over her Duncan Kane crush her freshman year. Then again, if she answered honestly, it'd probably drive Dick crazy trying to figure out who she liked. So she looked at him and admitted, "Yes."

"Who?" Dick asked.

"That's not how the game is played. You asked a question, and I answered it," Mac replied with a grin.

"She's right," Veronica agreed. "So now it's your turn."

Mac looked around the room and thought of something that had crossed her mind before. She said to Wallace, "Truth or dare?"

Wallace was curious to see what Mac may ask him, so he bravely said, "Truth."

Mac thought of a way to frame her question tactfully. "Have you and Veronica ever been in a compromising position before?"

Wallace winced and looked at Veronica, who burst out laughing. Both were thinking of one particular incident. "Yes," Wallace admitted.

"What?" Logan asked in shock.

"I knew it!" Dick exclaimed with a grin.

"Man, it's not what you think. It's all Mac's fault anyway. That damn purity test. Veronica was hanging out at my place and was joking about helping me up my score. She thought she'd help me get past first base," Wallace explained.

"What?" Logan inquired, sounding really outraged.

Wallace looked a little panicked and glared at Veronica for help, but she was too busy laughing. "It's not what you think! I swear! My mom walked in as Veronica pretended to flash her boobs at me, but she had on a sports bra. I saw nothing and touched nothing! I swear! Tell him, V!" Wallace ordered.

"Why Wallace, what about those seven minutes in heaven under the mistletoe?" Veronica asked in mock outrage. "Did it mean nothing to you?"

The expression on Wallace's face was priceless. Finally, even Logan was laughing. Then Dick said, "Dude, you've never been past first base?"

Laughter consumed the group as Wallace tried to defend himself. However, everyone was too busy laughing to listen.

The laughter abruptly came to an end when Meg suddenly jumped up with her hand over her mouth. She made it to the bushes in time to empty the greasy hamburger she had recently consumed.

Duncan jumped up and went to her aid while Logan and Veronica instantly sobered.

"What's wrong, Meg? Got a bun in your oven?" Dick asked jokingly. When Meg, Duncan, Logan, and Veronica all turned to him in varying degrees of surprise, a sudden thought occurred to Dick and his mouth dropped open. "Oh my God!" Dick exclaimed in amazement.

_******Chapter End*****_

_I didn't think Meg deserved to have Duncan as the villain_ **.** _I hope that didn't disappoint. Reviews are welcomed. I know you probably were enjoying the Truth or Dare game and wanted more, but I had to wrap it up sometime!_


	10. Friendships Formed

***** _The Next Tuesday*****_

Wallace and Dick left the Lakers' game riding the high of the Lakers' win. "Dude, that was such a good game!" Dick enthused.

He and Wallace exchanged high fives. "Good is too mild of a word! Awesome is a much better description!" Wallace exclaimed. Dick grinned as they made their way to his truck.

Wallace was still in awe of the prime seats they had. He hadn't exactly been courtside, but he might as well have been. "I can't thank you enough, man, for inviting me," Wallace said to Dick.

"No problemo, dude. You're surprisingly cool for someone who hangs out with Ronnie the ball-buster," Dick said with a grin.

Wallace nodded his head in agreement. "Yeah, she is somewhat off a ball-buster—at least to those that deserve it. But she was the only one who had the balls to face down the PCHers and cut me down from the flagpole my first week at Neptune High," Wallace told him.

"Dude, that was _you_?" Dick asked and laughed.

"You didn't know?" Wallace asked in surprise.

Dick shrugged. "I don't keep up with who all the PCHers torture unless it involves one of my friends," Dick admitted. "I can't say I'm surprised that Ronnie took them on. She's pretty freaky these days. She didn't use to be so scary. Back when Lilly was alive, Ronnie was sweet and innocent. Very Meg-like."

"Really? It's hard for me to see her that way. I've witnessed her in action too many times. She's got mad skills," Wallace said.

"People change. Look at Meg. She was like the Virgin Mary of the school, and now she's all knocked up," Dick pointed out.

Wallace winced. "I don't think we should be talking about that. It's bad enough that you blurted that out a few days ago at the pool party. Meg was really upset," Wallace said.

Dick didn't look ashamed; he just grinned. "How was I supposed to know I was right? When am I ever right about those things? I wouldn't have believed it either if someone had told me," Dick said.

Wallace shook his head. The party pretty much died after Dick guessed Meg's condition. Meg had gotten so upset and embarrassed that she fled the scene, causing Dick's cavalier, off-handed accusation to be the obvious truth to the onlookers. Veronica had flashed daggers at him as had Logan. All four of them left right after the bomb was dropped. Duncan drove Meg home, insisting that she was too upset to drive. Veronica drove her car while Logan followed, so he could take her back home. Everyone figured the party was at an end.

Wallace and Mac had insisted that they all clean up the mess for Logan. While cleaning up, Dick brought up the game again and got Wallace's number. Wallace had been pleasantly surprised. Veronica spoke so disparagingly about Dick that he hadn't expected much. However, the guy was one of Logan's best friends, and she was dating Logan, so how bad could he really be? They'd had a lot of fun at the game.

"I can't imagine being a father, especially not before I even graduate," Wallace said.

"I'm all for sharing my seed, though!" Dick quipped.

Wallace laughed. "I haven't had much luck with the ladies of Neptune High," Wallace admitted.

"Yeah, they can be a bit harsh on a man's ego. Madison, my ex, strung me along for years. Now she's banging some college guy or something. I haven't met the new guy. She just brags and says he's older and more experienced any chance she gets," Dick confessed.

"Ouch! She sounds like a real nice gal," Wallace said sympathetically.

"She's the Bride of Chucky. But she's hot, and she eventually put out after stringing me along for two years," Dick said.

"Hey, would you mind dropping me off at Veronica's? I wanna give her a play by play of the game," Wallace said.

"Sure. But I don't think Ronnie follows basketball," Dick said. "Even though we're frienemies, I have known her most of our lives, and I can't recall her ever being into sports. She played soccer in middle school, but never liked it enough to play in high school. It's too bad 'cause she looked hot in those knee socks. She was on the pep squad freshman year, but that was only 'cause Lilly probably made her. Back when Lilly was alive, we all spent time together. Now Lilly Kane, _she_ was smokin' hot!"

If Wallace hadn't been so used to Veronica's sometimes random and rambling conversations, he may not have been able to keep up so easily with Dick. However, he found Dick highly entertaining. "Veronica is best friends with a basketball player. She's learning to love the sport 'cause she loves me!" Wallace bragged.

"She must 'cause if you're not bangin' her, and she listens to you talk about sports _and_ goes to your games, she's gotta love you a whole lot," Dick said with a knowing nod of his head.

Wallace had learned quickly that Dick meant no real offense by the way he talked about sex and women. It was just the way he was. He truly didn't get Wallace and Veronica's friendship. "You've never been friends with a girl, have you?" Wallace asked.

Dick frowned. He had girls that he'd call friends maybe, but he still wanted to bang them. "Friends I don't want to sleep with? No. I've never been friends with a girl I didn't want to sleep with," Dick admitted. "I didn't think any guy and girl could ever be friends without one of them secretly wanting the other. Logan and Veronica were just friends back when Lilly was alive. But now look at them."

"Well, believe me when I say Veronica is not secretly lusting after me. Nor do I want to sleep with her," Wallace said with a shudder.

Dick gave Wallace a perplexed look. "How can you not want to sleep with Veronica? I don't even like her most of the time, and I'd have sex with her in a heartbeat!" Dick informed him a-matter-of-factly.

"She's like a sister to me. Our parents are dating. We could be step-siblings someday," Wallace shared.

"Really? I didn't know that," Dick said.

"What about Mac? You and her seemed to get along well at the pool party," Wallace observed.

"Ghost World's cool. I don't know her that well, though," Dick said.

"Why do you call her that?" Wallace wondered.

"'Cause she looks like that chick from that movie," Dick explained.

"Is she someone you'd want to sleep with?" Wallace asked.

"Of course not," Dick replied easily. He believed that as he said it; however, he did find her kind of adorable in a weird way. She definitely wasn't his type, so she was probably safe.

"Okay, so there you go. You can be friends with her. She's wicked smart and interesting. Don't try to get in her pants, and just be friends with her. Think of her like a sister from the beginning, and you'll keep most inappropriate thoughts away. You'll see that being friends with a girl can be great. They're different from guys, but different in a good way," Wallace said.

"Maybe," Dick said thoughtfully. He arrived at Veronica's apartment complex.

Wallace looked at Dick questioningly when he turned off his truck. "You coming in?" he asked Dick.

"I'm not going to pass up a chance to see Ronnie's new digs firsthand," Dick said with a grin. "She used to live in a decent house. I was at her sixteenth birthday party."

Wallace shrugged. He didn't still understand the way the minds of the 09ers worked. Veronica wasn't really one of them, but she had been when Lilly Kane was alive. Lilly's death really had destroyed Veronica's world. Wallace just hoped dating Logan now would make things better for her for a change. She deserved it.

Veronica was in her room with Mac, who was helping her track down a bail jumper. Her dad went out of town chasing down another one, so Veronica needed to nail down this guy's location. Not that she'd try to capture him herself. Keith was going to be back tomorrow, and Veronica hoped to make it easier for him by surprising him with the guy's location.

Her doorbell rang. She went to opened it and smiled to see Wallace. Then she saw he'd brought a friend. "What is Dick doing here with you?" she asked somewhat accusingly.

"Hey, Ronnie. Nice digs. I couldn't pass up a chance to see your new place. I've never been slumming before, so this is like a field trip for me," Dick said with a happy smirk.

Wallace took exception to the comment. "Hey, don't be like that! It's not cool!"

"Don't worry, I can handle the annoying one," Veronica told Wallace. "Dick, if you're going to be a jack ass, you can go now."

Dick grinned. "You know I had to make a crack. You would've been disappointed if I didn't," he said. He stepped in the doorway without an invitation.

Dick looked around with interest. "Wow! Your kitchen is like in the living room. How convenient is that!" he exclaimed.

"We just got back from the game. It was so awesome. Kobe was on fire!" Wallace shared.

Veronica couldn't help but smile at Wallace's enthusiasm as he began describing his Lakers' triumph. Veronica was caught up in his tale and forgot about Mac, who she had left in her bedroom.

Dick wandered through the small two bedroom apartment with interest. He didn't really understand how anyone could live with so little space. The bathroom was practically in the living room. He poked his head in the master bedroom that he assumed was her dad's. Not very interesting. He wandered to the other room, which he correctly guessed was Veronica's.

Dick was surprised to find it occupied. Veronica's quirky friend Mac was at a desk on her laptop, oblivious to the fact that she now had an audience. Dick didn't think he'd ever seen someone so focused or intent. Mac was kind of like that when you talked to her, too, he'd noticed. She focused intently on what you were saying. It made him a bit nervous to have all that intelligence focused on him. Unlike, Ronnie, however, Mac didn't seem primed to mock or scorn. She didn't seem to feel the need to lord her superior intellect over everyone else. But she was shy and more reserved in her intelligence. It made her a lot easier to be around. Dick thought about what Wallace said about making friends with Mac.

"Hey, Mac. What are you doing?" Dick asked as she stepped all the way into the room.

Mac looked up in surprise when she heard her name. Dick Casablancas was the last person she'd expect to be visiting Veronica. "Helping Veronica with a case. I'm surprised to see you here. I didn't get the feeling that you and Veronica were exactly pals," Mac said, giving him a shy smile.

Dick walked over and nosily looked around the room, picking up anything that caught his interest. "We're not really. She was the enemy for a while, but now her and Logan are together. Bygones and all that," Dick said in way of explanation.

He finally made it around the room and rested on Veronica's bed. "Wallace and I just got back from the Laker's game. He wanted to come tell his beard all about it. I wanted to check out Ronnie's new digs," Dick explained.

"You used to hang out at Veronica's old place?" Mac asked curious. Veronica never really talked about her life before Lilly Kane was murdered and her dad was Sherriff.

He shrugged. "Not really. Sometimes we met the girls there when Lilly was alive. I was at her sixteenth birthday party. Stuff like that," he said.

"So sometimes a non-09er is allowed in the group?" Mac asked.

"If they're dating Logan or Duncan, yeah. But Veronica was friends with Lilly before she was dating Duncan. When you're best friends with the Queen Bee, you are pretty much welcomed anywhere," Dick said.

"But when her best friend was murdered, you all went out of your way to hurt her and humiliate her every chance you got," Mac pointed out. "That's what I don't get. It seems like your friendships are pretty shallow."

Dick frowned. Mac had a point. Veronica's dad had been right all along; Veronica _had_ chosen the right side. One of their own had killed Lilly. Before Dick could figure out how to respond, Mac continued. "How do you think Lilly would have felt about the way you all treated Veronica?"

Dick's eyes widened slightly at the question. He hadn't considered that before. "She'd have kicked our ass. Lilly didn't let anyone hurt Veronica. Even Madison was nice to Veronica when Lilly was around, and she hated Veronica," he said.

Mac had pretty much figured that had been the case. However, she had wondered if Dick had realized that fact. "Pack mentality," she said knowingly.

Dick looked confused. "Huh?" he asked.

"Like dogs. A pack of dogs will always attack together. Follow the leader—that kind of thing. The alpha male, which is Logan, turned against Veronica, so the mindless drones, which are you and the rest of the 09ers, followed his example," Mac explained.

Veronica had made it to her bedroom door in time to hear Mac's titillating analysis of her relationship with the 09ers. "I couldn't have put it better myself," Veronica said as she joined them.

Dick got up quickly from the bed, figuring Veronica was about to be pissed at him—she usually was. "We were just talking," Dick said quickly, sounding guilty.

"So does that mean that now that Logan loves me, the 09ers are supposed to love me, too?" Veronica asked with a saucy grin.

"That would naturally follow," Mac said. Both girls looked expectantly at Dick.

He looked mildly panicked. "What?"

"You're an 09er. Does that mean you love me?" Veronica asked him. She tilted her head and waited.

Dick's eyes widened as he thought of a polite way to answer. Before he could squeak out a response, both girls burst out laughing. "It's okay, Dick. I'll accept polite tolerance. It's all you're getting from me. Minus the polite part, of course," Veronica said.

"Where did everyone go?" Wallace asked as he came into the bedroom. "You didn't tell me Mac was here. Hi, Mac," Wallace said with a wave.

Mac said hello.

"So are you guys coming to my Fourth of July party?" Dick asked.

"If we're invited," Wallace said.

"Of course. The more the merrier. Beav and I are hosting it at our place while Dad's out of town. Everyone will be there. It's Friday night since the Fourth is Saturday," Dick said. "Most go to the beach on the Fourth.

"Are you going?" Wallace asked Veronica.

She shrugged. "Probably. At least for a bit. Logan knows I have an 09er level of tolerance. When I start to reach for my Taser, that's usually when Logan decides it's time to leave," Veronica replied with a satisfied smile.

Mac laughed. Wallace looked at her and said, "You think she's joking. Trust me. She's not."

Dick frowned. "Your Taser needs to stay at home, Ronnie," he said.

"Hey, I'm outnumbered. The 09er to 02er ratio will be decidedly uneven. I need every advantage I can get," she stated. "Besides, where I go, so goes my Taser. That's my dad's orders."

Dick looked pained but knew better than to belabor the point. "Whatever," he said. "I guess I'll get out of here. It's kind of crowded."

"Thanks for dropping by uninvited," Veronica said with false cheer.

"Thanks for the game, Dick! It was one of the best days of my life," Wallace said.

"Dude, you totally need a girlfriend," Dick replied with a grin. Then he said to Mac, "If you come to the party, Beav and I will make sure and have veggie dip or something for you."

Mac looked surprised. "That's not necessary but thanks. I'll try to come," she said. However, the thought of an 09er party terrified her. She gave Veronica a beseeching glance.

"Don't worry, Mac. I'll be there to protect you from their evil ways," Veronica assured her.

Dick frowned at the implication that his friends would be less than nice to Mac. An unfamiliar feeling rose up in him. "If anyone bothers you, let me know," he told Mac.

Both Mac and Veronica's surprised expressions made him uncomfortable, so he quickly made a hasty retreat.

"See, V, Dick's not all bad," Wallace said after Dick left.

"That remains to be seen," Veronica replied. However, she refrained from saying more. Dick had been surprisingly nice to both her friends. It was more than she had expected from him.

***** _Across Town*****_

Meg was waiting with Duncan at his doctor's office. She had already peed in a cup for the nurse, and they were now waiting for the silence between her and Duncan was not very comfortable. Meg didn't know exactly what she expected Duncan to do, and she could tell he had no clue either. The entire situation was so depressing.

The doctor came in. "Well, it looks like you're two months along. The home pregnancy test was right. Your due date is Jan 25th. Of course, that's an approximation," he told them.

Duncan reached over and grabbed Meg's hand. She was grateful for his support. She had known that she was pregnant, but now it seemed so much more real. More final.

"Have you thought about your options?" the doctor asked.

"I don't believe in abortion," Meg said firmly.

"You're very young to be a mother. Abortion isn't your only option," the doctor said.

"We haven't decided yet," Duncan spoke up. He didn't know how Meg would feel about adoption, but he knew that it was something they had to talk about with each other before they could discuss it with someone else.

The doctor nodded. "I'm going to refer you to a female OBGYN that will take excellent care of you. You should start taking prenatal vitamins," he said. He handed her a pamphlet. "This has some information for you to read up on and some referrals."

"Please, don't mention this to my parents. We're going to tell them ourselves," Duncan said to the doctor.

"Patients all are entitled to privacy. I would never violate your trust. Don't worry. Call me, if you have any questions," he said.

Meg and Duncan thanked the doctor. When they got to Duncan's truck, he opened the door for her. "Would you like to go grab a coke or something? We should talk," he said.

Meg agreed. They drove to a nearby fast food place. "No one we know works here. We can talk without being bothered," he told her.

Meg followed him into the restaurant. She knew caffeine wasn't good for the baby, so she ordered a chocolate milk, which only had a small amount of caffeine. She was so worn out that she needed some type of energy boost. Duncan carried their drinks to a table in the corner. He sat down across from her.

"I want you to know that I will support you, Meg, no matter what you want to do. If you want to keep the baby, I'll help you every step of the way. If you want to give the baby up for adoption, I'll help you. You're not going to be alone with this. I know I've let you down, but I promise I won't anymore," Duncan assured her earnestly.

Meg was relieved to hear that. She didn't know what to do. She couldn't imagine giving her baby up to strangers, but how would she manage? Her parents wouldn't let her keep the baby; she just knew it. Suddenly, it was all too much, and she burst into tears.

Duncan got up and moved next to her. He put his arms around her. Meg wanted to push him away, but she couldn't bring herself to reject the comfort he was offering her. She knew she shouldn't let the fact that he was being nice now cause her to let her guard down. Duncan Kane had proven to be completely unreliable. A few kind words now weren't suddenly going to change that particular fact. Knowing that made her cry even harder.

***** _A few hours later*****_

After her friends left, Veronica found herself at loose ends, so she called Logan.

"I was just about to call you," Logan said.

"You were? Good thing I'm not the kind of girl to wait around for the boy to call," Veronica replied, grinning into the phone.

"So how was your day?" he asked.

"Good but strange. Mac came over to help me trace a jumper for dad, and Wallace and Dick showed up," Veronica shared.

"My Dick?" Logan asked.

"Well, I didn't know he was yours. Should I be jealous?" she teased.

"Ha, ha! Very funny. Did they go to the game?" Logan asked.

"Yes. Wallace was over the moon. He had to come give me a play-by-play. Dick decided it was time for him to come make fun of my two bedroom," Veronica said.

"I like your two bedroom. It's cozy," Logan said.

"It's kind of lonely tonight," Veronica said.

"Oh yeah? Why's that? Your dad working late?" Logan asked.

"Actually, he's out of town. He won't be back until tomorrow sometime," Veronica said casually.

Logan waited a moment before replying. "I'll be right over," he said. Then he hung up.

Veronica laughed as she hung up her phone. Guys were so predictable sometimes.

Her doorbell rang ten minutes later. She couldn't hide the grin as she opened her door. "Did you break all the speed limits?" she asked.

Logan stepped in and pulled her into his arms, lifting her off of her feet. He twirled her around. Then he sat down on the couch with her in his lap. "I broke a few. No cop would blame me. Hot girlfriend home alone. What else could a guy do?" Logan asked with a satisfied grin.

"So now that you're here, what do you plan on doing?" Veronica asked him, giving him a coy look.

"Bake cookies?" he suggested.

"Wow, how the mighty have fallen! Here I thought I was dating a bad boy," Veronica said smiling.

"I thought you didn't really like bad boys. I'm reformed," he said with a grin.

"Not too reformed I hope," Veronica replied.

"You do inspire all kinds of naughty thoughts," Logan said, giving her a suggestive leer.

Veronica leaned closer and nipped his earlobe with her teeth. She tugged on it. Releasing it, she whispered, "Oh yeah? What kind of naughty things would you like to do?"

Logan felt all the blood pool inside his nether regions as he reacted to her suggestive whisper. "Anything you will allow," he said. Then he kissed her. It wasn't long before she leaned back further into the couch until she was lying down with his body nearly covering hers. He finally released her lips to kiss a path down her neck. His hand slipped under her shirt to fondle her breasts.

She moaned his name. "God, I love it when you touch me," she said breathlessly.

"And I love touching you. It's become my favorite past-time!" he said happily. Then he fused their mouths together again. The intensity of their kisses heated up. Veronica was considering allowing him to remove her shirt when the doorbell rang.

Logan sat up suddenly, breathing heavily. "Expecting company?" he asked.

"Just about everyone I know was already here today," she said. She got up and smoothed down her hair when her bell rang again. Then someone thumped on the door. "Open up, Veronica. I saw Logan's ugly truck, so I know you're home!"

Recognizing Weevil's voice, she straightened up her shirt, and Logan grabbed a pillow and put it on his lap. Veronica flashed him an impish grin and opened the door.

"This is a surprise," Veronica said, letting him in.

"I hope I'm interrupting," Weevil said, giving Logan a satisfied smirk.

"You are," Logan replied disgruntled.

"It's okay. What's up?" Veronica asked. She knew Weevil wouldn't stop by unless it was important. He wasn't a stop-by-to-shoot-the-breeze kind of guy.

"We gotta talk. I saw Logan's ugly ass car in the parking lot and figured it'd be a good time for a pow-wow. Things are happening," Weevil said grimly.

Veronica sat down on the couch next to Logan. She indicated the chair. "Have a seat and fill us in," she told Weevil.

****TO BE CONTINUED****

_Review, Por Favor! Merci and Gracias!_


	11. Passion Unlocked

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Warning: This chapter is rated MA for Mature audiences. The scorching hot scene doesn't start until the "Next Day" scene. I think not writing any LoVe scenes for my other story caused me to overdo it with this story. Feel free to skip/skim those parts, especially the shower scene.

_*****Where We Left Off at Veronica's*****_

Weevil told them they should talk, so Veronica invited him to sit down. Logan made a point of putting a possessive arm around Veronica. Veronica rolled her eyes at Weevil, but she didn't remove Logan's arm.

"I'll never get you, V," Weevil remarked, eying the two of them with a slight shake of his head.

"I am a woman of mystery, so don't bother trying to figure me out," Veronica replied with a saucy grin.

"I almost feel sorry for your white boy," Weevil said.

"I am here, you know. No need talking like I'm not," Logan reminded him, disgruntled at being ignored.

Weevil laughed. "Well, anyway, I just wanted to tell you what I've been doing at my end to solve our little mystery. Also, I figured we could go over some details," Weevil shared.

"We've been a bit distracted with a situation our friends are going through, so I've almost put it out of my mind," Veronica admitted.

"I haven't forgotten. I'm the one everyone thinks stabbed a man to death. I don't like people thinking I'm like my dear ole' psychotic dad," Logan said.

"I don't know if you're psychotic or not, but you do think your wealth makes you better than everyone just like your dad does," Weevil couldn't resist telling him.

Logan flushed with anger. "Money does make things better and easier. It doesn't reduce me to a life of crime like _some_ ," Logan said pointedly.

"Okay, you two, that's enough. This doesn't do anyone any good. You both have a lot of good qualities and some bad," Veronica remarked. "You're both stubborn and arrogant. Logan may be entitled, but Weevil, you're unnecessarily hostile. However, I think you both are loyal and brave and kind of cute."

Weevil grinned. "She thinks I'm cute," he bragged to Logan.

Logan frowned. "I'm not cute. I'm a sex god!" he insisted.

"I wouldn't know," Veronica replied with a provocative grin.

Weevil snickered. Logan leaned over and whispered into her ear, "I'll be happy to show you anytime you're ready, sugarlips."

Veronica suddenly felt too warm and decided to get a hold of the conversation that had clearly veered off course. "How about we focus on why Weevil is here?" she suggested. "So what have you found out, Weev?"

Weevil couldn't hide his grin, but he answered, "I have my boy, Hector, cozying up with Thumper to see if he's working for the Fitzpatricks. Hector told me that Thumper invited him to the Fourth of July bash the Fitzpatricks are having at the River Styx. He expects to find out something."

"Do you want me to give you a wire for Hector to wear, so we can record anything he finds out?" Veronica asked.

"Absolutely not! Do you want to get Hector killed?" Weevil asked.

"Just a thought," Veronica grumbled.

"You know Thumper is taking a summer school class. So are a few of your other boys," Logan said. "Why don't I try to buy drugs off of one of them, and I'll get Dick to specifically ask Thumper?"

"That's not too bad of a plan. Just make sure you actually learn the name of the guy you approach. I know we all look alike to you," Weevil informed him. Logan just grinned without comment.

"Make sure you'll let us know if you find out anything this weekend. Maybe we should plan to meet up on Sunday sometime," Veronica suggested.

"Sure. But first, I want to go over one more time exactly what happened on the bridge that night," Weevil said to Logan.

Veronica turned expectantly toward Logan. "What? You know. I was drunk on the bridge because my almost girlfriend thought I killed my girlfriend. My mother had killed herself jumping from that same bridge, and I was thinking about how my life sucked when you and your thugs showed up to hit home that point," Logan said sourly.

Veronica rubbed his back in comfort. She hated that her accusations had hurt him like that. Feeling a bit ashamed, she said softly, "I'm sorry."

"Poor little rich boy," Weevil said without sympathy, knowing instinctively that Logan wouldn't want his sympathy. He didn't really think money could replace a mother's love. Finding out your father killed your girlfriend and almost succeeded in killing your new one had to suck. However, Weevil figured that having a girl like Veronica Mars would go a long way to easing the pain.

Logan flipped him off. Then he continued, "After I knocked you out with a swift kick—it was too easy I must add—your guys dragged me off the bridge. I couldn't really say who all was there or not after I was beat senseless."

"You passed out, right?" Weevil asked.

"Yes," Logan said with a frown. He didn't like remembering that night. It went down as one of the worst in his life, and considering he had a lot of bad nights that was saying something.

"When did you come to?" Veronica asked.

"When some lights flashed in my face, and I heard a voice," Logan admitted a bit reluctantly.

"Wait a minute, there was a witness?" Veronica asked in surprise. "You never mentioned that before. You just said that you woke up with a knife in your hand that wasn't yours and a dead Felix across from you."

"The knife was in your hand?" Weevil asked angrily. He got to his feet. "I don't recall hearing a knife found. The murder weapon was in your hand, and you just got rid of it?"

"I did _not_ stab anyone! I was too drunk to do much of anything, let alone steal a knife from one of your guys. I don't carry knives around. That would be your kind!" Logan replied hotly.

"Sit down, Weevil. You know you don't believe that Logan magically produced a knife and stabbed Felix. However, if he had, it'd be self-defense after what you had your boys do to him. You had him completely outnumbered and could have killed him. You weren't conscious to rein your guys in," Veronica pointed out.

"Maybe. But my guys weren't ordered to kill him, just teach him a lesson. You told me he killed Lilly," Weevil said. "I wanted to punish him."

Veronica blanched at the reminder that she was the one ultimately responsible for this entire mess. "Really, I'm to blame for all of this," she remarked.

"No, you're not. My bastard of a father is," Logan replied grimly. "And whoever killed Felix."

"Let's get back on track," Weevil said. "None of us have much to be proud of but let's focus here."

"You're right," Veronica agreed. "Let's focus on the fact, Logan, that I think you forgot to tell us something."

"I told you that I got rid of the knife," Logan said defensively.

"You threw the murder weapon away?" Weevil asked, outraged.

"What would you have done if you woke up next to a dead body and a bloody knife in your hand?" Logan asked him angrily. Weevil wasn't going to put this all off on him.

"But you said you saw lights. Did you see anyone?" Veronica asked, determined to stay focused.

Logan looked uncomfortable. "Sort of," he finally admitted.

"There was a witness?" Weevil asked, disbelieving.

"I don't know. A guy pulled up in a truck and asked if I was okay. When I realized I had a knife in my hand, I freaked. I threw it over the bridge and got in my car. I didn't stop to chat," Logan shared.

"Logan, this witness could put an end to the questions. He could've seen the whole thing," Veronica said.

"But what if he didn't? What if all he saw was me holding a bloody knife? I didn't want to take that chance," Logan replied.

"We won't know until we talk to him. We've got to find him, Logan. For your peace of mind, and to end this feud for good," Veronica said firmly.

"She's right. If someone saw anything, we got to find out," Weevil said.

"What I want to know is why this witness never stepped forward? Why didn't he go to the cops?" Veronica questioned.

"Good question," Weevil agreed.

"Tell us what you remember about the guy," Veronica said to Logan.

"He wasn't a teenager. He was in his late 20's or 30's. He was Mexican," Logan said.

"If he was Mexican, you'd think he would've come forward to help out," Weevil remarked.

"Not if what he saw would've put a notorious Mexican gang member in a bad light," Veronica pointed out.

"That's true. I never thought of that," Logan admitted.

"Did you see the car the guy was driving?" Veronica asked.

"I think it was a San Diego Seafood truck," Logan said.

"That's great. At least we have a starting point. We can track him down. I know it," Veronica said excitedly.

"I hope so. I don't like not trusting my guys," Weevil remarked.

"Maybe you shouldn't hang out with criminals," Logan said sarcastically. "Oh, wait! You are the head-criminal-in-charge!"

"Like your 09er friends are much better. You just buy your way out of things. You're a case in point," Weevil pointed out.

"He's got a point there," Veronica said, grinning.

"Hey, you're supposed to be on my side," Logan complained with a pout.

Weevil laughed as he got to his feet. "Face it, Logan, V's dating you with her eyes wide open. That's what you get for going out with a smart woman," Weevil said.

Veronica laughed. Logan frowned. "Find your own smart woman!" he informed Weevil.

"Treat her right or one day V may decide she finds white boys dull and unsatisfying," Weevil said, grinning.

"I knew it! He wants you for himself!" Logan exclaimed, getting worked up at the thought.

"I didn't say that," Weevil said. However, he couldn't resist adding, "But I must admit, she has been awfully nice to me for some reason."

"Okay, that's enough, Weevil. Quit trying to start something," Veronica warned in annoyance.

"Sorry, he's too easy to provoke. I can't help it," Weevil said. "I'm outta here. I'll let you know if anything comes up. If you track down the witness, let me know."

Veronica got up to walk him to the door. "Will do. Thanks for dropping by," she said.

"Yeah, thanks for dropping by," Logan added sourly. " _Do_ let the door hit you on the way out."

"Ignore him," Veronica said before Weevil could engage him further. She opened her door pointedly. Weevil grinned and waved goodbye without comment.

As soon as the door closed, Logan got up from the couch. "I thought he'd _never_ leave!" he exclaimed dramatically. He pulled Veronica into his arms. Then he bent down and kissed the nape of her neck.

"You were incorrigible! You both were!" Veronica admonished.

"I can't help it. Weevil irritates the hell out of me. I know he wants you," Logan complained.

"Maybe. But it doesn't matter. I don't want him, and he knows that. That's why he's never once came on to me seriously or asked me out," Veronica shared.

"He better not," Logan warned. "I don't like to share." He kissed her soundly. Veronica put her arms around his neck, returning his kiss.

"That's good because neither do I," Veronica said when he ended the kiss.

"You have nothing to worry about," Logan assured her.

"Neither do you," Veronica said. "Tomorrow, we should go track down that truck and find that witness."

"Okay. But let's not obsess anymore about it tonight. I have you all to myself finally," Logan said with relish.

"Now that you have me, what do you plan on doing with me?" Veronica asked innocently.

"You love asking that, don't you?" Logan asked, grinning.

"Your answer last time was most satisfactory," Veronica replied, flashing a saucy grin.

"Until we were rudely interrupted by your pet thug," Logan reminded her.

"None of that! Weevil is neither my pet nor a thug. Besides, I thought you were tired of talking about him," she reminded him.

"I am, but it's getting late," Logan said regretfully.

"So you don't want to stay the night?" Veronica asked with a seductive pout.

Logan's eyes widened in surprise at her remark. "You want me to stay the night? Are you sure?"

"I know that I'd love to fall asleep in your arms," Veronica said.

"Just sleeping in my arms?" Logan asked slowly, trying to understand what she wanted.

Veronica tilted her head and smiled. "Well, maybe we could find something to do to pass the time. I'm not really sleepy yet. Are you?" she asked with wide-eyed innocence.

Logan grinned. "I'm sure I could think of something," he said.

Veronica jumped up and snaked her legs around his waist. He moved to hold her in place, surprised by her sudden movement. "I have this secret fantasy I thought you could fulfill," she said, giving him a flirtatious look.

"I will do my best," he said happily, loving this playful side of her.

"I've always wanted some big, strong man, who adored me to carry me to my bed," she confessed.

"I do adore you," Logan said. He let her fall slowly back to the ground. Then he swept her up in his arms. She giggled. He carefully headed toward her room where he gently laid her down on her bed. Veronica reached out and tugged him down unto the bed.

"Does your fantasy involve us clothed or unclothed?" Logan asked.

"Persuade me," Veronica ordered.

"I'll do my best," Logan promised. He kissed her softly. When she sighed in pleasure and opened her mouth for more, he didn't disappoint. Sweeping his tongue inside her mouth, he easily fanned the flames of her desire. The kiss began to take on a life of its own until finally he pulled back, gasping for air. "You are surprisingly good at that," Logan said.

"I've never gone pro like you, but I've kissed a few guys," Veronica said coyly.

"You've kissed a few toads," Logan said, not liking the reminder of her with any guy that wasn't him.

"Says the man who dated Caitlin," Veronica reminded him.

"What did you expect when you left me alone with the 09ers?" he asked.

Veronica pulled sharply on his ear causing him to yelp. "You kicked me out," she said in annoyance.

"I was blinded by my own pain. I was an idiot. I hope you know that every day I think about how I added to your pain, and it hurts me," he said contritely. He rubbed his ear regretfully.

"It should," she said sternly.

"I've vowed to make so many good memories with you that you never think of any of the bad ones," Logan assured her. "Starting now." He began kissing her neck. When he came to a particular sensitive spot, he sucked hard, causing her to gasp in pleasure.

"There," he said, admiring the red mark. "I've marked you as mine!"

"I was right. You _are_ incorrigible," she replied, smiling at his silliness.

He grinned. "Let's see if I can find other places to mark," he said. He pushed up her shirt, kissing her belly. He tongued her bellybutton, causing her to squirm in reaction. His lips trailed upward. When his lips made it to her bra, he paused and looked up at her. Her eyes gave him permission, so he pushed up the bra, freeing her breasts. Without hesitating, he put his mouth on one of them while his hand was filled with the other.

"Logan!" Veronica exclaimed breathlessly.

Logan released the breast and lavished attention on the other one, sucking hard. He pulled back and said, "There could be so much more if you want."

"I don't think I'm ready for sex," she admitted, looking away.

Logan reached up and placed his hand on her cheek, forcing her to look at him. "Hey, don't feel bad about that. When you're ready, you'll know. I want you to be as eager and excited to be with me as I am to be with you," Logan assured her.

"I do enjoy being with you like this," Veronica told him. "It's just sex is a big deal, and it changes things."

Logan pulled her shirt down and sat up. He moved up to the head of the bed and pulled her into his arms. She laid her head on his chest. "I'm not going anywhere. We have plenty of time," he said.

Veronica rose up so that she could look him in the eyes. "Do you really mean that? Celibacy has never been a part of your chosen lifestyle," she reminded him.

"I used sex and alcohol to feel something good because my life sucked so much. Except for Lilly, I haven't loved any girl I was with," Logan told her. "And you know how things were with Lilly. She never loved me the way I loved her, and most of our time together was spent fighting and making up."

"Yes, but sex was a big part of your relationship with her. I know because she told me pretty much every detail," Veronica confessed. "She loved to make me blush." They both shared a smile in fond remembrance.

"I'd like to think that since you and I are both a little older and know more who we are and what we want that our relationship is already deeper than what I had with Lilly even without the sex. We've been through so much together already," Logan said. "I love you, Veronica Mars, and I look forward to the day when you can give me the words back."

Veronica smiled sweetly at him. "If you keep saying all the right words and staying out of trouble, you might get exactly what you want," Veronica said.

"I can't wait," he replied, giving her a look full of love. He kissed her. Then he pulled away again and said, "You know there's lots of stuff we can still do without going all the way."

Veronica laughed. "And I bet you're just the man to teach me all about it," she said.

"It's the one subject I get all A's in," he quipped.

"I'm not going to grade you on a curve," she warned.

"Will I get extra credit if I make you scream out my name," Logan asked with a leer.

"You'll get extra credit if I get you to scream out _my_ name," Veronica said. Then she moved suddenly and flipped him on his back, straddling him. "Take off your shirt," she ordered.

Logan grinned and moved quickly to comply with her demand. "Your turn," he said.

Veronica smiled wickedly and pulled off her shirt. Then she covered his body with her own and kissed him. Logan soon rolled over until she was back on her back. Then he fused his mouth to hers, kissing her passionately. When they came up for air, he said, "That's a start."

Veronica slid her bra straps down until her breasts were bare. "You can do better," she said, her eyes challenging him.

"I think I can _rise_ to the occasion," he replied with a smirk.

She groaned. "I didn't know I was dating Dick," she said.

"You'll regret that!" he exclaimed. He covered her lips once again with his own.

***** _The Next Day*****_

Veronica woke up with Logan's arms wrapped around her. It was a foreign feeling, but it was one she decided that she liked a lot. He made her feel both safe and cherished. Her mind flashed to last night. Logan had managed to make her boneless and delightfully exhausted. She had wanted to return the favor, but Logan said next time. He could somehow sense her nervousness when it came to the idea of him being completely naked. She knew sex with him would be amazing. However, not being able to remember the loss of her virginity still haunted her. She couldn't shake the thought that sex with Duncan wasn't all there was to that night. Not knowing for sure made her hesitate to give herself completely to Logan. But she couldn't lie to herself; she was awfully curious. Logan made it so fun and never seemed mad or upset that she wasn't ready to go all the way. It made her relax. Being with him was never a chore.

Veronica tried to ease out of Logan's arm and go to the bathroom. However, he was so entuned to her that her slight movement caused him to tighten his grip. She turned in his arms until she was facing him. She examined his face. In sleep, it was relaxed and boyish. Veronica couldn't resist planting a soft kiss on his lips. When her lips touched his, she soon learned that he was awake because he returned the kiss with fervor.

"Yum! That's the way I like to be woken up!" Logan stated with a satisfied grin.

"You faker! I thought you were asleep," Veronica complained.

"I was until you started moving around. I'm a light sleeper," Logan said.

Veronica smiled. "I like learning new things about you. And I especially like the fact that you don't snore," she stated.

"You do," Logan informed her, a twinkle in his eyes.

"I do not!" Veronica insisted, outraged.

"You do. But it's very slight and very cute," Logan assured her. He placed a light kiss on her lips.

Veronica flushed in embarrassment. "I guess I've never slept with anyone before, so I didn't know," she admitted.

Logan hugged her. "I love that fact. Your drugged encounter with Duncan doesn't count as much of anything. I want to be all your real firsts," Logan said possessively.

Veronica gave him a warm smile. "I want you to be, too," she said softly. "But first, I need to use the bathroom. I'll be right back."

Veronica quickly went to the bathroom. She took a minute to brush her teeth and smooth down her hair before exiting the bathroom. Logan must have had the same idea because he was standing by the door waiting his turn.

She was sitting on the bed back under the covers waiting for him when he returned. "Miss me?" he asked. Then he caught a naughty twinkle in her eye. "What's got that naughty look in your eye?

"I was just thinking..." her voice trailed off. She looked away, seemingly unsure. Logan sat down next to her and waited for her to gain her courage. He tucked the covers around him and put his arm around her shoulders. Finally, she looked back up at him. "You know I've never seen a naked guy in real life." She tried to act causal, but Logan wasn't fooled.

Grinning wolfishly, Logan said, "Why, Veronica Mars, are you asking me to remove my boxers for your viewing pleasure?"

Veronica suddenly felt shy. "If you want," she said with a careless shrug.

But Logan could sense her real curiosity. He wiggled out of his boxers and pulled them from out under the covers. He spinned them around his fingers and then tossed them aside. Veronica smiled at his theatrics. "Before we pull the covers back, I gotta warn you that this might ruin you for other guys," Logan boasted.

Veronica laughed. "You're awfully sure of yourself," she said.

"I know the reaction I have whenever I'm near you," Logan replied.

Veronica slowly lifted back the covers and gazed down at Logan's naked form. He'd slept without a shirt, so without his boxers he was completely nude. She watched in fascination as his penis grew larger right before her eyes. She looked up at Logan, who was watching her reaction closely. "Is that normal?" she asked.

"A guy's dick usually gets hard whenever they're sexually excited. Seeing you look at me like that gets me very excited. Women get wet when they're turned on," he said. "Are you wet?"

Veronica glanced back down at his hardening penis. Then she locked her gaze with Logan's as she moved her hand slowly down to her panties. She pulled up her t-shirt, so Logan could see exactly what she was doing. When she inserted her index finger inside of her vagina and found it soaking wet, Logan groaned at the sight.

He put his hand on his dick and squeezed. Veronica watched him in unabashed interest. Without conscious thought, she reached out her own hand and touched it. Logan gasped in reaction. "Don't tease me, Ronnie," he begged.

The steel and heat that throbbed beneath her hand excited her. "I know I've never done _this_ ," she said. Her other hand was still inside of her. She moved it until it was touching her clit, the place Logan had showed her was the source of all-consuming pleasure. Logan reached down and slid his free hand under her panties and pushed them down. Veronica opened her legs slightly, so Logan could gauge her wetness for himself. She was surprised when he inserted two fingers inside her just enough to coat them in her wetness. Then he took her wetness and lubricated his steel shaft with it.

When she gave him a questioning look, Logan explained, "The woman's body is wet for a reason. Our dicks are fragile things. If you want more pleasure than pain, a lubrication of some sort is necessary."

Veronica looked away in embarrassment. Logan, of course, noticed. "Sugarpuss, don't be shy with me. I think it's so hot that you don't know everything. Finally, there is something I can teach you!" he said, pleased. "If we are ever going to one day have sex, you should be completely comfortable with the idea and with my body."

Veronica nodded and watched as Logan took her hand and demonstrated how to touch him. "This will get messy. Is that okay?" he asked a bit worried.

"We can go to your house and wash my bedding," Veronica said. She pulled her hand away from her vagina and used it to touch one of his testicles.

The look of concentration on her face made Logan smile. God, he adored this woman. "You can lightly squeeze them if you want but not too hard," he told her.

Veronica did exactly that causing Logan to moan in pleasure. Then she released them. Logan moved until he was sitting with his back against her headboard. He pushed her back next to him. "Let's try it like this," he suggested. He reached over until his left hand was touching her clit. He rubbed it softly, causing a gasp to come from her lips. She let her right leg fall to the side against his leg while propping up her left knee, giving him access. "Concentrate," he said with a wicked grin. Veronica returned it and put her hands on his penis. She touched the pre-come that was dripping off the tip. She spread it around and began pumping him like he showed her. It was hard to focus when he was doing such wicked things to her body. Then she realized his was pumping two fingers in and out of her in time to her own up and down motions. The realization excited her, and she looked at him. His eyes burned hotly in pleasure and desire. He alternated pumping his fingers with rubbing her clit. "More," she begged. He pinched her clit, and she suddenly exploded. Her orgasm took all her focus and her ministrations stopped when her hands fell to her side.

Logan grinned. "How about we finish this in the shower?" he suggested. "Then you won't have to worry about a mess. Do you think you're ready for that?"

Veronica gave him a head tilt. A small smile played on her lips. "My shower's not very big, and the hot water is unreliable. But we can give it a try. Don't say I didn't warn you if it turns into a cold shower," she warned.

Logan got up from the bed, his erection still very much in evidence. Veronica found his lack of modesty amusing. Logan started to go to the bathroom and then stopped. "Your dad isn't suddenly going to spring in on us? I wouldn't like to die before making love to you!" he said anxiously.

Veronica laughed. "He should be back this evening, but I'll text him to make sure," Veronica said. She got out her cell and sent off a quick text to her dad. Then she went to the bathroom to get the shower ready. Logan followed behind her, eying the front door nervously. Veronica found his fear entertaining. Then again, her life would become very uncomfortable if her dad did catch them. Fortunately, her dad answered her text by the time she'd turned the shower on. "We're safe. He's still in Phoenix. His flight doesn't leave until noon," she told Logan with a happy grin.

Logan sighed in relief. Then he grinned in pleasure when Veronica slipped out of her t-shirt and panties. She stood naked before him, allowing him to look his fill. "You are so perfect," he said as he reached out and ran his hand from her shoulder to her hip.

"Hardly. I hope you're not a breast man because I'm sadly lacking in that department," she said with a frown as she looked down at her body in dissatisfaction. Lilly had been very well endowed.

"All a guy needs is a handful," Logan assured her as he filled his hands with her breasts. "See. It's a perfect fit!"

Veronica laughed. Then she turned and pulled back the shower. She stepped in, and he climbed in after her. "You weren't exaggerating!" he exclaimed as his presence completely took up all the extra space. "Next time, we'll use mine. I never run out of hot water. We can have all kinds of fun!"

Veronica got her hair wet and then moved out of the way so he could do the same. The space was so small that every part of him brushed up against him as he carefully maneuvered under the showerhead.

Veronica grabbed her strawberry scented body wash and squirted it in her hands. "You're going to smell like me," she told him, grinning.

"There are worse things to smell like," he replied, returning her smile.

"Turn around," she ordered. Logan gave her his back, and she began to rub the soap all over his back. She frowned when she noticed some slight silver scars. Although they had been swimming together, she had never had a chance to observe his back at her leisure. Proof of his father's abuse made her want to weep. She knew that he wouldn't appreciate her mentioning it, so she said nothing. Instead, she lovingly caressed every part, her hand gliding gently over his back. She didn't use a washcloth or anything because she wanted to feel his skin under her hand. She bent down slightly to rub her hands down his butt. "You have a really cute ass," she said as she squeezed it.

"I know," he said, the smirk evident in his voice.

Veronica laughed softly at his arrogance. As she bent down further to wash his legs, she asked, "Have you ever showered with another girl?"

He turned around, so she could wash the front side of him. She continued with his legs. "Actually, I haven't. Lilly didn't really have patience for that kind of thing. She's the only girl I would've wanted to," he confessed.

Veronica smiled in happiness to hear that. He was so much more experienced than her. She liked knowing that there were some things that she could give him, especially when he's already given her so much. She rose up, skipping his private area to rub soap across his chest. Logan couldn't resist bending slightly to capture her lips in his. He pulled her wet, naked flesh against him, kissing her ruthlessly.

After a few minutes, Veronica pushed against his chest. "I want to finish this before the water turns cold," she told him, giving him an impish look. She reached for the soap and squirted some gel into her hand. Then she captured his penis in her hand and massaged the soap up and down its length. She didn't neglect his testicles, squeezing them gently like he'd taught her. Logan moaned her name on a sigh. He braced his hands on her shoulders as she began in earnest to pleasure him with her eager hands. Veronica watched in fascination as his penis extended even further. She had trouble imagining how it could possibly fit inside of her. "I don't think that will fit very well in me," she confessed as her hands moved up and down.

"I promise it will fit," he gasped out as she squeezed him tightly in her fist and then released pressure. He gazed down at her, his eyes barely focusing, so lost was he in what was happening. He hadn't dreamed last night that his morning would start off so wonderfully. The sight of Veronica's hands filled with his dick made him want to explode. "Faster," he croaked. Veronica complied and moved her hands expertly up and down; she was a quick learner. It didn't take long for him to explode across her chest. Her eyes looked at him in awe.

Logan heaved for breath. "Wow! You sure got the hang of that easily. Thank you," he said. He captured her lips once again for a hot kiss.

"My turn," he said when he broke off the kiss. He pushed her under the water, soaking her hair. He poured some shampoo in his hair and quickly rubbed it while she stood under the hot spray. Then he turned her around so that he was under the spray and her back was facing him. He lathered her hair and used the suds to glide down her body. He reached around her and fondled her breasts. Then his hands moved down her butt sliding in her crevices causing her to squirm. "Spread your legs some," he ordered. He washed the inside of one thigh and then the other. He turned her around and gazed into her eyes. They closed when he lathered her breasts. Logan knew that she was lost in the decadent sensation his hands produced. He moved his hands down to her private area, rubbing suds into her blonde curls that shielded his favorite part. He couldn't resist inserting his finger in her. Her eyes flew open. "I already had a turn!" she said.

"Maybe I want to give you another," he said with a wicked grin. "But let's rinse off all the shampoo before the hot water is gone." He moved so she could get under the spray and rinse out her hair. She grabbed the conditioner and put it in her hair while Logan devoured her with his eyes. He could feel his body once again hardening in response. When she began to rinse out the conditioner, he could no longer resist capturing her wet nipple in his mouth. He swirled his tongue around the tip of one then the other. Then he suckled on it until she screamed out his name. Suddenly, Logan was consumed with a burning desire to give her more. More than she'd ever dared to dream.

Veronica was burning up at Logan's touch. She felt so hot that she was surprised that steam wasn't coming off her body when the water hit it. When Logan began pulling her nipple into his mouth, her eyes flew open in surprise. For a moment, his gaze burned hers with his intensity. Then he dropped to his knees and pushed her legs apart. The water began to cool finally, but she couldn't bring herself to care or to stop him. She felt like she was on the brink of something that she had only ever secretly wondered about but would never admit.

Logan parted her curls and inserted his tongue into her wet folds. He could taste her honey and wanted it more than he wanted anything at that moment. He pushed a finger inside of her. In and out it went as he sucked on her clit like it was a favorite new treat. Veronica gasped, "What are you doing to me?"

"This is what it feels like to have a man go down on you. I've been dying to do it," he said looking up at her. Then he pulled out his finger and replaced it with his tongue. One of his fingers pushed gently into her other hole causing her to gasp in surprise and pleasure. He kept lapping at her until her knees almost gave out. Her hands clutched tightly on his shoulders. He lifted one of her legs and sat it on the edge of the tub. "Hold on. I got to see you," he said. He gazed at her glistening pussy in awe. He watched her expression as he pushed a finger inside of her, then another finger. With one hand, he pleasured her and the other held her steady. The water became ice cold.

Veronica found the ice water cascading down her back a cool contrast to the fire Logan was building inside of her. She knew she should stop him, but she didn't have the strength to protest. If she was honest with herself, she didn't want to. Lilly had told her once how good Logan had gotten at pleasing her orally. Veronica thought it would be disgusting and was surprised that she was anything but turned off. She knew that she was once again about to explode in pleasure. When Logan again put his mouth on her clit, sucking hard on it, she screamed and would've fallen if he hadn't caught her.

Breathing heavily against his chest, she could only stand there shaking in reaction to both his touch and the cold water. Logan reached around her and turned off the water. She looked up at him in wonder. "I can't believe you did that!" she exclaimed.

"I'm sorry. I should've asked, but I was afraid you'd say no. I knew you'd love it. It's not so icky the first time in a shower. It's almost natural," Logan said with a satisfied grin. He reached and grabbed a towel they had placed on the toilet. He began rubbing her dry. Veronica quickly took the towel from him. "I don't trust you! I'll dry myself. We'll never get anything done today if you keep touching me," she complained with a pout.

"Maybe not but we'd have a pretty awesome day!" Logan replied gleefully. He stepped out of the tub and grabbed a towel to dry himself.

Veronica dodged his hands and quickly escaped to her bedroom. Logan's ears rang with her laughter. He slowly followed after her, wanting to freeze the memory of every moment with her. In his entire life, no one had ever made him feel this good.

*****Two _Hours Later*****_

It didn't take Veronica long to track down the seafood truck Logan remembered. By the second location, Logan zeroed in on a guy loading boxes in the back of a seafood truck.

"That's him! I know it!" Logan exclaimed excitedly.

He started to go toward the guy, but Veronica grabbed his arm. "Wait a second, Logan. You can't just barge over there, demanding answers. Let me do the talking. He's got to be squirrely, or he'd have already come forward. We don't want to scare him," Veronica warned.

Logan grimaced but he docilely followed after her as she walked toward the guy.

Veronica plastered on a sunny smile and approached the man who gave her a wary look.

"Hello, sir. I'm sorry to interrupt your work. But do you think we could have a moment of your time?" she asked him.

The man put down the box and shrugged. "I can take a moment," the man replied.

Veronica gestured toward Logan, who stayed a few feet away and watched them. "Do you recognize him?" she asked.

The man looked hard at Logan and slowly nodded his head. "My name is Veronica Mars, and that is my boyfriend Logan Echolls," she said. "I think you might have witnessed a crime."

The man held up his hand. "Look, I don't want no trouble. I can't afford to lose this job," the man told her anxiously.

Logan couldn't stay by the sidelines any further and stepped closer. "We don't want to cause you any trouble, dude. I swear. If you've watched the news at all, you know who I am and what kind of trouble I've had this summer," Logan said.

The man nodded. "I saw you on the bridge the night I was jumped by the PCHers, didn't I?" Logan asked.

The man didn't respond right away, seeming to weigh the pros and cons of answering. "Yes," he finally admitted.

Veronica and Logan exchanged excited glances. "Would you tell us what you saw?" Veronica asked him.

The man signed in resignation. He knew enough to know what these two teens had gone through. How a woman could love the son of the man who tried to kill her and killed her best friend was beyond the his comprehension. However, he figured that if she trusted him, Logan must be very different from his father. "I saw some motorcycles blocking the road, so I stopped my truck. As a driver, I'm constantly watching for traffic problems. You can't stop a loaded truck as easily as a car. I got out of my truck when I realized that there was bodies on the road, thinking I could help. Then I saw one Mexican stab another Mexican; then he bent down to one of the bodies on the road and did something. Then he got on his bike and drove off. I got closer and saw you come to. You had the knife in your hand that the Mexican guy had used to stab the other guy with. I realized right away that this was a gang attack of some sort and didn't want any part of it," the man shared.

"Sir, I..what's your name?" Veronica inquired.

"It's Luis," he said.

"Luis, so you clearly saw that Logan was unconscious and lying in the road when the one Mexican stabbed the other?" Veronica asked.

"Yes," Luis said.

"And you saw the guy frame me?" Logan asked.

"Yes," Luis replied.

"Why didn't you come forward? Why did you let me get charged for murder? Doesn't my life suck enough?" Logan asked in outrage. He stepped toward the guy. Veronica held out her arm and pushed him back.

"I'm sorry for your trouble, but I got my own family to worry about. I live in a PCHer neighborhood. I have a five-year-old to worry about. I can't risk retaliation by getting involved. I'm sorry," Luis said regretfully.

Logan opened his mouth to protest, to argue, but Veronica wouldn't let him say anything. "Thanks for talking to us Luis. We appreciate it," Veronica said politely. Then she grabbed a protesting Logan and dragged him away.

When they got back to his car, Logan dug in his heel. "Okay, what was that? You didn't even try any of your tricks on him to convince him," Logan complained.

Veronica opened the door of his car and got in, forcing Logan to walk around to the driver's side and do the same. He shut the door and faced her, waiting for her to explain.

Veronica smiled. "It's a good thing you're pretty," she said. "Leave the thinking to me."

Logan tried to look outraged, but the smile tugged on his lips anyway. "Explain yourself, woman!" he ordered.

"We don't need to browbeat the terrified man. What we need to do is talk to Weevil. Weevil is the leader of the gang the man is so worried about. Nothing we say can impact him as much as Weevil's assurance that the gang won't retaliate," Veronica pointed out in satisfaction.

Logan looked at her a moment and then slowly grinned. "You're right! Weevil can finally make himself useful and convince the guy to come forward," Logan said happily.

"Exactly!" Veronica agreed. "Let's go track him down and tell him the good news."

"You better call him. My car draws too much attention, and we can't be seen with him," Logan reminded her. "Besides, I probably should at least make an appearance at school today. I will take you back to your place and head to school that way I can set up the drug buy I told Weevil about.

"Good idea. I will call him and figure out a rendezvous point," Veronica said. She got out her phone and sent Weevil a text.

"Today has turned out to be like the best day of my life!" Logan exclaimed, giving her a suggestive leer.

"This is just the beginning," Veronica said arrogantly. "You ain't seen nothin' yet!"

Logan laughed and leaned over to kiss her. Their kiss was interrupted by Veronica's phone.

"Damn that Weevil!" Logan complained, figuring it was him.

He was right. "Weevil said he can meet me at the beach by my house in a half hour, which is perfect because I need to exercise Back Up," Veronica said in satisfaction.

Logan started the car and headed back to her house.

*****CHAPTER END*****

_Like it? Hate it? Let me know!_


	12. Fourth of July-Part I

**** _River Styx****_

It was the Friday before the Fourth, and Hector found himself in the most unlikely of places. He followed Thumper into the River Styx. "Are you sure this is a good idea?" he asked Thumper, a bit anxious. Everyone knew that one of the guys who hung out here killed Felix's brother Gustavio.

"It's cool. No seas tan puto miedoso!" ( _Don't be a chicken shit)_ Thumper said with a grin. He opened the door of the bar.

Hector felt like every eye in the place was eyeballing him. Thumper went to the bar and ordered a drink from a hot blonde. She looked familiar. "Who's the girl? Why does she look familiar to me?" Hector asked Thumper.

"That's Molly Fitzpatrick. She's Liam's niece and goes to school with us. You've probably seen her there or had her in class," Thumper replied. He took a swig of his beer. Molly turned around and walked to the other end of the bar. They both admired her backside. "She's a fine piece of ass," Thumper said. Then he looked away quickly. "But don't let any of the Fitzpatricks see you admiring her. The last person who looked twice at her came to a really bad end."

Hector quickly looked away. No white chica was worth making enemies of the Fitzpatricks. "Why exactly are we here?" he asked Thumper.

"Relax. I need to do some business with Liam. Then we can go," Thumper said.

Hector watched him closely as he approached Liam and another guy. They walked into a backroom out of sight. Hector took his beer with him and casually made his way closer to the door they went through. He stopped by the pool table and pretended to be interested in the game that was being played. He kept glancing up at the door Thumper went through. His sneaky glances paid off. A guy went through it, and it stayed open long enough for Hector to get a good look. Liam was sitting down in a chair and was putting bags of what appeared to be white powder into a duffle bag. The door closed. Hector quickly walked back to the bar, his back toward the door. A few minutes later, Thumper came up to him.

"We can go now," Thumper said.

Hector looked at him and noticed that he had the duffel bag in one of his hands. He decided not to mention it until they were away from the Styx. He shrugged and turned away from the bar. Thumper led him out the door. When they made it to their bikes, Hector asked, "What's in the bag?"

"Money. Lots of money," Thumper said with satisfaction.

"Liam gave you a bag of money?" Hector asked quizzically.

"Not exactly. He gave me something that will get me a lot of money," Thumper replied. Thumper secured the bag on the back of his bike. He got on.

"Are you selling drugs for the Fitzpatricks?" Hector whispered. He looked around cautiously to make sure no one could overhear him.

Thumper shrugged. "Maybe. Are you interested in a cut?" he asked as if testing Hector.

"Maybe. Are you offering?" Hector inquired.

"We can talk," Thumper said as he started his bike and put on his helmet.

Hector did the same. It looked like Weevil's suspicions were correct. Thumper was in deep with the Fitzpatricks. This made Hector wonder if Felix had found this out. Hector couldn't imagine that Felix would've been happy to discover that one of his boys was making money for the guys who murdered his brother.

***** _The Casablancas' House*****_

Mac approached Dick and Cassidy's house with apprehension. How did her life turn so strange? Wallace pulled on her arm. "Come on, girl! The party's inside!" Wallace said.

Mac resisted for a moment. Wallace looked at her with understanding. "Don't worry, Mac. Veronica and I will both be in there keeping the wolves at bay. If anyone bothers you, let us know," he said. Mac smiled. Wallace was such a sweet guy. Why couldn't she be attracted to him? He was smart, athletic, sweet, sensitive, and attractive.

"Why don't we like each other?" Mac asked, feeling suddenly brave. Wallace was the kind of guy that women just felt comfortable with.

"We do," Wallace said, not understanding her point.

"Yes, but I meant like, like," Mac said pointedly.

Wallace grinned wickedly. "It's hard for most women to resist me! But you and Veronica are made of stern stuff!" he exclaimed. "Don't tell Veronica this, but if it helps, I'd date you if you and Veronica were the only two women left on earth."

Mac couldn't help but grin. "Thanks. It does," she said. She took a deep breath. "Okay, let's do this."

Together they entered the fray. Mac felt a bit overwhelmed by all the people. None of the people she saw were people she really knew. They were the beautiful, shiny people that occupied Madison Sinclair's world. They could've been the people in her world if fate hadn't intervened. That thought hit her from time to time. Wondering about the 'what if's?'. She shook her head to dispel the gloomy thoughts. Dick appeared. He spotted them and grinned. He walked toward them.

"Ghost World! You came!" he enthused. He surprised her by giving her a bear hug. Then he turned and high-fived Wallace. "Dude, the drinks are over there. There's lots to choose from. If you don't want to get hammered, avoid the punch." Wallace asked Mac if he could get her anything. "A can of Coke."

Dick smiled happily at Mac. He was glad to see her. "Beav made you some avocado dip. He said you'd probably like it," Dick proudly shared.

Mac was oddly touched. "Thanks. I'll try some before I leave. Is Veronica here yet?" Mac asked.

"No. Logan warned me that she wouldn't want to be here that long. It's cool. Most of the people here have been kind of mean to her since Lil died," Dick admitted, surprising Mac.

"Yourself included?" she asked.

Dick shrugged. "Sure. I was mean, and she was mean. It's over. Logan's nuts about her. He'd have my balls if I kept things mean, so I'm over it," Dick explained.

"But is she?" Mac asked.

Dick grinned widely. "Ronnie likes to hold a grudge, but she'll get over it eventually," Dick said confidently.

Wallace came back with drinks for them. "Man, is everyone here?" Wallace asked. "I saw some sweet fillies hanging out by the punch bowl."

"Go talk to them. I'll be fine," Mac told him. Wallace grinned and left her side. "So where's your brother?"

"He's probably sulking around here somewhere. He doesn't do so well at parties. I try to pimp him up, but it doesn't seem to work much," Dick admitted.

"I don't do too well at parties myself," Mac said.

"Well, maybe you can go find Beaver and hang out with him. He thinks you're pretty cool," Dick shared. Then an idea occurred to him, and he gave her a sly look. "You're single, right?"

"Yes. Why do you ask?" Mac asked puzzled.

"Beaver could use some experience with the ladies if you know what I mean," Dick said suggestively.

"Trying to pimp _me_ out to your brother?" Mac asked. She tried to sound stern but failed miserably. Dick was so transparent; it was funny.

Dick looked guilty for a minute. "Of course not! I just thought if you liked him, and he liked you that you could spend some time together. That's all," Dick assured her, afraid to offend her.

Mac finally laughed. "Relax, Dick. It's okay. I know what you meant," Mac said.

"I see you've really gotten desperate, Dick," a voice said. They turned and saw Madison Sinclair approaching. She had a look of distaste on her face, a look Dick realized she perpetually wore these days. The sting of their break-up finally left. Why did he care so much about the way she rejected him so easily? She never made him feel all that good about himself.

"I didn't know you were going to be here, Maddie. I specifically said no skanks allowed. Didn't you see my sign?" Dick asked with a mocking grin.

"Now, Dick, you're not still mad because I dumped you for an older, more experienced man, are you?" Madison asked with a sly smile.

"Men who are overcompensating dig younger chicks. My dad's off with a new hot, young thing right now," Dick said with a knowing smirk.

Madison refused to engage with him any longer. She examined the girl he was talking to, a look of derision on her face. "I guess you've really gotten desperate, huh?" Madison said.

Dick found himself feeling angry at the way she was obviously insulting Mac. She had always put down other girls, especially Veronica Mars. It had never really bothered Dick before. However, he found himself feeling unusually protective of Mac. She wasn't like other girls, especially not other 09ers. "This is my friend, Mac. I know you don't really have that many, so don't try stealing one of mine. You can go now!" Dick ordered, making a shooing motion with his hand. Madison rolled her eyes. He so wasn't worth it, so she turned and left.

"You didn't have to defend me," Mac said even though she was secretly pleased.

"Of course, I did. I invited you. I didn't invite her. She comes because my party is the place to be this weekend. Besides, if I let Madison be mean to you, Ronnie will do something really horrible in retaliation!" Dick exclaimed.

Mac laughed. His fear of Veronica was entertaining. However, Mac knew that Veronica was a formidable opponent. "You don't have to babysit me, Dick. I'm going to wander around if that's okay," she said.

"Mi casa is tu casa. Have fun. If anyone bothers you, tell Ronnie. She'll do worse than I could!" he said gleefully.

"If she ever gets here," Mac observed.

Dick looked around. "There they are!" he pointed out. Mac looked and saw Logan with his arm around an obviously reluctant Veronica. When Veronica spotted Mac, the relief in her eyes was obvious.

"Finally, someone I can stand the sight of!" Veronica explained as they approach. "Referring to Mac, of course." She looked pointedly at Dick.

Dick just grinned. "Glad to see you finally made it. I hope you left your Taser at home, Ronnie. I already have fireworks planned, so I don't need you to produce any!" he told her.

She just gave him a smug look and shrugged. Logan planted a kiss on her cheek. "Be good, sugarlips. I'm going to go get us some drinks," Logan said. Dick followed after him.

"So what have I missed?" Veronica asked Mac.

"Not much. Madison was just here. She traded insults with Dick and then tried to insult me," Mac shared.

Veronica's eyes predictably flashed with anger. She looked around the room for Madison. "Where is she? I'll be happy to put her in her place!" Veronica informed Mac.

Mac laughed. "Thanks, but it's not necessary. Dick took care of her," Mac said.

"Really?" Veronica asked in surprise.

"Yes, he did. He told Madison I was his invited guess while she was not," Mac told Veronica, a hint of pride in her voice.

"Wow! Color me surprised! I'm glad Dick has some decency in him because I had my doubts," Veronica said. "You know, the last 09er party I was at was the one Aaron threw for Logan shortly before I found out he killed Lilly. It was a surprise party, and the surprise was coming out as a couple to the entire bunch."

Mac winced. "That couldn't have been comfortable" she said.

"It wasn't. Logan very sweetly made it clear that I was his girlfriend, and if none of them liked it, they could leave. Duncan left while Dick quickly started kissing up," Veronica shared, remembering the evening. That particular party brought her mixed emotions. On one hand, it had been sweet of Logan to stand up for her. On the other hand, she had discovered a few painful revelations at that party. "Word of advice. Don't ever leave your drink unattended at any parties, especially when there's 09ers around. Also do not accept a drink from anyone you don't know and trust explicitly," Veronica advised.

"Bad experience?" Mac inquired.

"That's putting it mildly. Someday, I'll tell you about it," she said as she watched Logan approach. Dick wasn't with him. He handed her a can of soda; he knew she wouldn't accept anything poured in a cup. He had a beer in his head. Veronica gave him a look. "I promise no more than two beers," Logan assured her.

"Good," Veronica said, pleased. The music changed. Veronica smiled. "I love this song!"

"So let's dance!" Logan insisted. He put took her drink and sat it down on a nearby table. He grabbed her hand.

"Will you be okay?" Veronica asked Mac.

"Sure. I'm going to go find Cassidy. You kids have fun," Mac said, smiling at the two of them. Logan always looked at Veronica with such adoration. Mac loved watching the two of them. She doubted Veronica realized how revealing her own emotions were whenever she was with him. She lit up like a live wire. Logan pulled her along to where the couples were dancing. Mac watched them for a few minutes and then began to wander around the place.

The house was really big. There wasn't a lot of decoration—too much white. It was apparent that only men lived in the place. Mac found herself in front of a staircase and decided to explore. She knew Dick wasn't very private and wouldn't really mind. Maybe, she'd find Cassidy. She brushed by a few couples making out. Feeling embarrassed, she turned a corner. Sounds of a TV were coming out of one of the bedrooms. The door was slightly a jar. Mac peeked in and saw Cassidy sitting him a chair playing a video game in front of a 42-inch LCD. "Hey," she said, giving him a shy smile.

Cassidy looked up in surprise. He paused his game. "Oh, hi!" he said, flashing her a small smile. "What are you doing up here?"

"I hope it's okay. I was exploring your house. I don't feel very comfortable at parties, and I don't really know many people here," Mac admitted.

"Well, I know all of them and believe me when I say you're not missing anything. Most of them are elitist snobs with the IQ of a snail," Cassidy said. "I don't particularly like parties either. Dick drags me to them all, though. He doesn't like to go by himself to anything."

"Or maybe he wants you to have a good time and get a social life," Mac suggested.

Cassidy looked surprise at the suggestion. "I doubt that," he said dryly.

Mac sat down on his bed. "You do? Why? It's obvious to me that your brother loves you," Mac said.

Cassidy gave her a doubtful look, suddenly looking vulnerable. He didn't say anything. Mac debated on whether or not she should push the issue. Finally, she decided to risk it. "You don't believe your brother loves you?" she asked, interested.

"He's not very nice to me sometimes," Cassidy admitted.

"I have a little brother. I can't say I'm always nice to him. He's kind of a pain, but I love him. He's my brother," Mac shared. "If Dick didn't care about you, he wouldn't want you around him."

Cassidy looked thoughtful. "I guess I never thought of it like that," he told her.

Before things could get awkward, Mac said, "Can I play? I love video games."

Cassidy looked please. "Sure," he said. He handed her a controller.

Mac happily accepted. Maybe this party wouldn't be so awful after all.

***** _On the other side of Town*****_

Weevil opened his door and let Hector in. "So what did you find out?" Weevil asked.

"You were right," Hector said. "Thumper is selling drugs for the Fitzpatricks. I saw Liam put the drugs in a duffel that Thumper took out of the backroom of the bar."

"You're sure?" Weevil asked.

"Si. He told me it was a way to make money when I flat out asked him if he was selling drugs for them," Hector shared.

Weevil thought about the ramifications. "He's gotten to some of the boys," he told Hector.

"What do you mean?" Hector asked in surprise.

"Veronica Mars told me that some of the 09ers approached Thumper, Bootsie, and Doodie about buying drugs for their big 09er blow-out this weekend. Bootsie said he didn't sell drugs, but both Thumper and Doodie supplied some goods," Weevil shared, looking grim.

"I bet Felix found out about Thumper's new hobby," Hector said.

"Felix would have been really angry," Weevil said.

"But would Thumper kill over this? If some of the guys were on his side, wouldn't it be better to just make a power play, divide the gang or even challenge you?" Hector wondered.

"I'm not sure. But V told me that she located a witness who saw the whole thing. He said it was a Mexican who killed Felix," Weevil finally shared.

Hector looked surprised. "So Echolls is really innocent?" Hector asked. "I can't believe it!"

"I'm glad to know V hasn't completely lost her mind. She's still dating the gringo. Don't breathe a word about this. I've got to decide if I want to talk to this witness and convince him to go to the cops, or do I want to take care of this in-house," Weevil shared.

"We need to do something soon. Some of the guys are still really angry at Logan getting off. They've made some grumblings to me," Hector admitted.

"Try to contain them. I need to go see the witness after the holiday weekend and see if he I.D.'s Thumper as the guy who stabbed Felix. Once we know that we can plan our next move," Weevil said.

"What do you want me to do in the meantime about Thumper?" Hector asked.

"Why don't you join him in his new little enterprise?" Weevil suggested. "Get close to him and maybe he'll start confiding more. Maybe, we can find out all his motives if he is the one who did this."

A thought occurred to Hector. "Do you know Molly Fitzpatrick?" he asked.

"I know who she is. Felix had a crush on her back in junior high. His brother put an end to that," Weevil said.

Hector thought for a moment. Then he said, "What if he didn't?"

Weevil gave him a questioning look. "What do you mean?"

"What if after his brother was dead and not around to control him, he started sniffing around her?" Hector suggested.

"Why do you think that?" Weevil asked.

"Well, Molly was at the bar. You can't help but notice her because she's pretty hot. Thumper made a comment about not letting her uncles see us admiring her. The last guy they caught admiring her came to a bad end he told me," Hector shared.

"Really? That's interesting. It may be worth checking out. I'll see what I can find out," Weevil said.

After Hector left, Weevil thought about their conversation. He could check out Felix's room, but he'd probably need to get V to talk to Molly. She was better at getting info out of people. He'd also get her to take him to talk to this witness. He needed to know for sure if one of his own killed Felix, and then he'd make him pay.

*** _More to Come***_


	13. Fourth of July-Part 2

The up-tempo song that led Veronica and Logan to the dance floor quickly changed to a slow, sultry ballad. Logan pulled her tightly against him. "This is more like it," he whispered in her ear.

Veronica smiled up at him. "You just like putting your hands on me," she teased.

"What sane man wouldn't?" he quipped. He surprised her by spinning her out of his arms and then pulling her back against him with a flourish. She laughed in sheer pleasure. Sighing with contentment, she rested her head against his chest.

They swayed to the music, lost in the song, the moment. When the song was over, Logan pulled back a bit, so he could gaze into her eyes. "You are irresistible," he said. Then he placed a soft kiss on her lips.

"Guys, I have a room upstairs if you need it," Dick interrupted.

Logan looked up in annoyance at his crassness. Veronica said, "See, Logan, if we'd stayed in, we wouldn't be interrupted by your annoying pet monkey boy." She turned and walked off the dance floor.

Logan looked wistfully after her. "Dick, why do you have to ruin a good moment? Veronica was _actually_ enjoying herself at your party. A party she did not really even want to come to."

"Sorry, dude. I didn't mean nothin' by it. I was just teasing you guys," Dick said, a note of apology in his voice.

Logan sighed. He knew Dick would never seek to harm him—he just didn't think much. He watched Veronica walk out the patio door, so he followed after her. Dick fell into step with him. "Should I say sorry to Ronnie?" he asked.

"Better not bring it up. She'll get over it," Logan said. He winced when he saw Madison in Veronica's line of sight. They were by the pool. He watched Madison say something to Veronica. It looked like Veronica was going to walk by without engaging her. Then Veronica suddenly reached out and pushed hard against Madison knocking her into the pool.

"Oh, my God! Did you see that? That was so amazing!" Dick exclaimed, running up to the scene of the crime. He grinned down at the sputtering Madison. "Madison, you've really turned in a _wet_ blanket!"

Madison screeched in rage. One of her girlfriends reached down to give her a hand up. Veronica smiled in satisfaction and walked back into the house, running into Meg and Duncan.

"Finally, someone else I can talk to!" Veronica said, giving Meg a hug.

Duncan looked behind her to the commotion by the pool. He watched a very wet and fully clothed Madison getting out of the pool. Dick was laughing at her. Logan walked around the scene and joined Veronica. "What's going on over there?" Duncan asked.

"Veronica decided to shove Madison in the pool," Logan said, a bit proud of her quick thinking.

Meg grinned in admiration. "I've wanted to do that more than once," she admitted. There was no need really to ask Veronica what compelled her. Madison was consistently rude. They all turned to watch Madison yell at Dick. Then Madison gave Dick an angry shove causing him to fall back in the pool with a big splash. Everyone burst out laughing. Dick, of course, took it in stride. "Pool party!" he yelled from the pool. Several friends immediately jumped into the pool with him. Veronica groaned when she saw Wallace joining in on the suddenly wet fun. "There's my Papa Bear following your pet monkey. Dick is _not_ a good influence! I'm going to have to have a serious talk with my best friend!" Veronica complained.

"Wallace is fun-loving like Dick. Why are you so surprised that they'd get along so well?" Logan pointed out.

Veronica didn't like the implication that her best friend had anything in common with Logan's and pointedly ignored him. She turned to Meg and said, "Why don't we go check out the food table? Leave these boys to their games." She dismissed Logan with a toss of her hair and grabbed Meg's arm.

"Not a good move, Logan. Dick is not her favorite person and Wallace is," Duncan said. "You should've known better."

Logan looked rueful. "I know, but I couldn't resist pointing it out. It's exhausting sometimes playing ref between the two," Logan said.

"Well, you only have yourself to blame. You're the one who made it okay to target Veronica in the first place," Duncan reminded him.

Logan looked cross at that particular reminder. "Only because you were catatonic and indifferent," Logan replied.

"Well, I'm awake now and seeing things much clearer," Duncan stated.

"And what exactly do you see?" Logan asked.

"I see that we both screwed things up when Lilly died. Me even before she died. You hurt Veronica, but not before I had many times over. Lilly would be really angry if she could see the mess we made of things after she was gone," Duncan said.

"You're right," Logan agreed. "What do you think she'd say about you and Meg?"

Duncan smiled. "She'd laugh her ass off. She always thought Meg was too pure. That much apparent perfection always irked her," Duncan said.

"She'd be happy to know you managed to tarnish Meg's perfect image," Logan said.

Duncan frowned. "Do you think things are going to go bad for Meg when school starts back, and everyone finds out?" he asked.

Logan considered the question. "I think it'll be tough at first. But as long as we close ranks around her, and it's clear that you're with her, the damage won't be too bad," Logan said.

Duncan nodded his head in agreement. "So have you told the parentals yet?" Logan asked.

"We told my parents last night. It went okay. Mom cried, and Dad was grim but stoic. He asked if we wanted to get married," Duncan shared.

"What did you say to that?" Logan asked.

"I was prepared for it. I know how their mind works," Duncan said. "I told them that we were taking things one step at a time. We weren't going to rush into anything. We wanted to have the baby and graduate. We'd see what happened after that. I know how they think. If I dismissed marriage out of hand, they'd been angrier and less prepared to support us."

"By not, you left it as a possibility. Clever, DK," Logan said in admiration. "Was Meg okay with that?"

"I think so," Duncan said with a shrug. "But who knows? Women are mysterious creatures."

The women in question were sitting down in a relatively quiet corner of the house to chat. "So we told Duncan's parents about the baby yesterday," Meg shared with Veronica.

"Really? How did they take the news that their perfect son wasn't so perfect after all?" Veronica asked.

"Better than I thought they would," Meg said. "Duncan told me that they'd be okay eventually. I guess the only good thing about having your only sibling murdered is they kind of have to support the remaining child no matter what."

They both looked gloomy at that thought. Then Meg continued, "They wanted us to get married."

Veronica snorted. "If it was me that Duncan knocked up, they'd offer to pay for the abortion," she said.

Meg looked a little shocked at the suggestion but didn't comment. "Well, Duncan told them we were going to play things by ear. He was prepared for their reaction and told me that they'd probably go that route. After they took it in, he asked his parents if they'd join my family for their Fourth of July dinner tomorrow. He wants them there when we break the news to my parents," Meg revealed.

"That's a great idea. Your parents will have to restrain themselves somewhat if the Kanes are there lending their support," Veronica said.

"You know Duncan said that if my parents react as badly as I expect them to, I can move into with him and his parents. He seems pretty confident that his parents would be okay with it. Do you think they would?" Meg asked.

"I don't think they really refuse Duncan much of anything. They didn't when Lilly was alive. In fact, Lilly would often get punished more severely for things that Duncan was equally guilty of," Veronica shared.

"So you think things are going to be okay when we tell my parents?" Meg asked, anxious.

Veronica patted her hand in reassurance. "I think it won't be easy, but you have support. You're not alone in this. It's going to be okay. Maybe not at first, but you'll get there," Veronica assured her.

"I hope so," Meg said.

****** _Mac and Cassidy******_

After playing a few games, Mac and Cassidy discovered they were evenly matched. It'd been a while since anyone had really been able to challenge Mac. She was really enjoying herself. Finally, Cassidy said, "Do you want to go downstairs and grab something to eat?"

"Sure. Dick told me that you made some avocado dip. I promised him that I'd try some," Mac said, giving Cassidy a shy smile.

Cassidy was pleased, and they headed downstairs. He bypassed the food table and went directly to the kitchen and the fridge. "I didn't put it out. I knew it'd be gone before you got a chance to try it," he said. He pulled out a small container. Then he opened a cabinet and grabbed a bag of tortillas.

They sat down at the kitchen table and munched on the dip and chips. Mac really enjoyed being with Cassidy. He was very intelligent and sweet. He didn't just see her as a computer geek who could do him a favor like most people inevitably saw her.

Dick, wearing fewer clothes, came into the kitchen for more ice and saw the two of them sitting together. Dick flashed his brother a proud grin. He didn't want to embarrass Mac, so for once, he refrained from saying what was on his mind. "There you are, Beav. I was wondering where you disappeared to. We are the hosts. You gotta make an appearance sometime, dude," Dick said. "I see you found him," he said to Mac.

Mac nodded. Cassidy said, "Those are your friends. Not mine. They don't even care if I'm there or not."

Dick frowned. He didn't like the thought that his friends didn't like his brother. "Sure, they do. Remember, you're the brains, I'm the brawn. We're a team."

Cassidy rolled his eyes at his brother but didn't bother to argue. Dick only saw the world a certain way.

Mac grinned at his bravado. "At least he has no delusions about himself," she said to Cassidy, who snickered.

"Dudes, you totally missed the fun. Ronnie pushed Madison in the pool! It was awesome!" Dick shared with a happy grin.

"Did you get her out? Is that why you're wet and wearing less clothes?" Cassidy asked, noticing that Dick was in wet jeans, no shoes, and no shirt.

"No, Maddie didn't appreciate my laughter and pushed me in after she got out. Then everyone jumped in. It was fun!" Dick said, obviously not upset at the fact.

"I wish I could've seen Veronica at work," Mac said. She kept her eyes on Cassidy; Dick's unclothes state made her a bit uncomfortable. Even though she'd been swimming with him recently, she hadn't spent enough time with guys in general to be entirely comfortable with their undress. And Dick wasn't exactly wrong when he said he had the brawn. Fortunately, a physique like Dick's wasn't all she was looking for in a man. Being able to have an intelligent conversation was definitely a necessity.

"She's something," Dick agreed. "She's around the corner talking with Meg if you want to talk with her."

"We should go join the party, I guess," Cassidy said a bit reluctantly.

Mac agreed and they followed Dick out of the kitchen. The place seemed to have even more bodies than it had when Mac first arrived.

They went around the corner and saw Meg and Veronica. "Yo, Ronnie. Megalicious! Are you ladies having a good time?" Dick asked with a grin.

"I'm having a great time. Thanks, Dick," Meg said smiling. She always found Dick amusing, like a puppy.

Veronica, on the other hand, had very little patience with him. She rolled her eyes impatiently. "We were until you showed up. Hey, Mac, Cassidy. Feel free to join us. Dick was just leaving," Veronica said giving him a look. He laughed and sauntered off.

"Why are you so mean to Dick?" Mac asked, curious. Veronica seemed to have a special bit of spite reserved just for him, and Mac had yet to understand the source of her contempt.

"Why don't you ask Cassidy about the last 09er party I was at and how Dick carried me mostly unconscious to a room to be molested by whoever past me by?" Veronica asked, giving Beaver a look that frightened him.

"You were molested at a party?" Mac asked in surprise. Cassidy decided this was a conversation he didn't want any part of and quickly snuck away.

"Well, I could've been. No thanks to Dick. He actually encouraged his brother to have sex with my unconscious self," Veronica revealed in disgust.

"That's why you're so hostile to him?" Meg asked, suddenly understanding. "Which party was this?"

"Shelley Pompey's party after Lilly was killed," Veronica said.

Meg immediately knew the party she was referring to. She had tried to get Cole to take Veronica home, but he had convinced her Veronica was fine.

"So what exactly happened?" Mac asked. For some reason, she felt betrayed by learning that Dick really _was_ that guy.

"Well, according to Sean and Cassidy's eyewitness testimony, I was bombed out of my mind. They thought I was drunk, which I was not. I had some GHB slipped into a drink I was given. Ask me how I got the GHB slipped into my drink?" she asked Meg.

"How?" Meg asked.

"I got a "trip to the dentist" from Madison. It seems that Dick is not above drugging his own girlfriend," she shared. Mac looked a bit ill as the story unfolded.

"FYI: That's a trick of Madison's. She spits into a drink then hands it to someone," Meg told Mac, who grimaced in disgust.

"Anyway, Dick played the chivalrous knight and took me to an empty room. Then he encouraged Cassidy to lose his virginity to me and threw him some condoms," Veronica shared. She wasn't planning on sharing what went on between her and Duncan that night or the how it felt to wake up without her underwear. However, she had noticed Dick being nice to Mac and wanted to make sure Mac understood exactly the type of guy Dick was. Forewarned is forearmed.

"Dick just left you alone in a room with Cassidy?" Meg asked in disbelief.

Veronica nodded in disgust. She looked at Mac. "If you're going to be spending time with Dick, I want you to know that I am not just being a bitch. Dick doesn't think about the long-term consequences to his actions. Nor does he often care at all how his actions hurt others. That's why I'm hostile. That's why I barely tolerate him. I know he's one of Logan's closest friends, but he's not mine. He never will be," she said flatly.

Mac nodded her understanding but didn't comment. What could she say? She didn't know Dick Casablancas. She knew Veronica. Or was starting to. She knew that Veronica didn't judge people without cause. This 09er world had facets to it that she wasn't entirely sure she wanted to know. Suddenly, she really didn't feel like partying with any of these people. When Veronica and Meg began discussing other stupid things Dick had done over the years, she slipped away without further comment.

She almost made it to the door without being stopped by anyone. Her hand was on the doorknob when Dick suddenly noticed. "Mackie! You're not leaving already, are you?" he bellowed across the room. Mac wanted to die as several pairs of eyes looked to see why the blue striped hair girl deserved such attention. Instead of pausing and awaiting further humiliation, she opened the door and shut it quickly behind her. She didn't get far when she heard the door open behind her. "Mac, why are you leaving?" Dick asked, perplexed. "Are you okay? Did someone bother you?"

Mac stopped to face him. She didn't know how to resolve his protectiveness toward her to what she just learned about him. He walked up to her, a look of concern in his eyes. "Why are you leaving so early? I have fireworks going off at midnight," he said.

"I'm going to shoot fireworks tomorrow with my family. I just didn't feel like being here anymore. Thanks for inviting me. It was nice," Mac said. She turned around to leave, hoping he'd let it go.

Naturally, he would not. He grabbed her arm, forcing her to turn back. "Seriously? That's all you're going to say? Did Beav do something? You seemed to be getting along with him. Or did one of Madison's bitches get all mean girl on you?" he asked.

Mac pulled her arm out of his grasp. "No, everyone was perfectly fine. Your brother was really nice. We had fun. Tell him I said bye, okay?"

"You didn't even say goodbye to Beaver?" Dick asked, confused. "What's going on?"

Mac sighed in resignation. "Dick, I stayed two hours, which is longer than I thought I'd manage. I'm just not sure your world is something I really want to be a part of. I don't view the world the same as you or most of your friends," she told him.

Dick looked even more confused. "There's more than one way to view the world?" he inquired.

"Yes. For example, some people think it's okay to look down on those with no money. While others treat everyone with respect. Some people think it's perfectly okay to drug their girlfriends or encourage their brothers to have sex with a woman that is unable to make a decision on whether or not she wants sex," Mac blurted out in annoyance. Seeing Dick's confused look get more perplexed had her annoyance level kicking up. He was too clueless. Why was she even trying? She turned to leave. "I'll catch you later, Dick," she said over her shoulder before he could stop her again.

Dick watched her leave. He figured Ronnie said something to her about something, but he had no idea who her comment was directed at. Beaver would probably know.

He located his brother watching the antics in the pool. "Hey, bro. What happened with Mac?" Dick asked him.

"What do you mean? We just played video games and talked. She's cool," Cassidy said.

"Then why did she bail already?" Dick asked.

Cassidy looked surprised but shrugged. "I don't know. I left her when she started talking to Veronica," he said.

"I figured Ronnie was to blame. What did they talk about?" Dick asked.

"You don't want to know. I left before I could get blamed for anything," Cassidy shared.

"So you don't know what got Mac to leave early?" Dick asked.

"I can guess since the conversation started with Mac asking Veronica why she was so mean to you that the rest of the conversation was about you and your many bad qualities," Cassidy informed him grimly.

"Me? What did I do? I haven't done anything to really piss off Ronnie in months," Dick said, genuinely perplexed.

"Well, Mac was asking her why she was so hostile toward you. Haven't you noticed that she is more hostile toward you than most of Logan's friends?" Cassidy pointed out.

Dick shrugged. "I figured that was just Ronnie's thing—perpetually annoyed about something. It doesn't bother me," Dick said.

"It bothers Mac because she doesn't—or should I say didn't know—what a complete jackass you can be," Cassidy said, for once not trying to sugar coat things for Dick.

Dick finally started to be bothered by the entire situation. "Just spit it out, Beav. What specific thing did I do to make Ronnie hate me? Why is she now trying to make Mac hate me, too?" Dick demanded to know.

"I don't know, Dick. How about Shelly's party after Lilly died, and you left her drunk self in a room with me, trying to get me to have sex with her? Ya think that maybe pissed her off?" Cassidy asked in annoyance, his voice dripping with sarcasm. Why Dick couldn't figure out some of these things was beyond his comprehension sometimes.

"She's still mad about that? Isn't that why she ran over my favorite surfboard?" Dick asked. "Besides, it was nothing. I knew you wouldn't touch her, nor would Ronnie let you if you tried."

"You know Veronica has no memory of that night, right?" Cassidy asked him. Dick shrugged. "She believes she was drugged with the drink you meant for Madison."

Dick winced. Sudden understanding came over him. "Ouch!" he exclaimed. Then he realized, "Oh no! She told Mac about that? No wonder she couldn't wait to get away from me."

"And me. She didn't even say goodbye to me," Cassidy said in disgust. It wasn't easy sometimes being Dick's brother.

"I'm sorry, dude. I'm sure Ronnie made sure and blamed the whole mess on me," Dick said.

"As she should," Cassidy replied sharply.

Dick was silent a moment. "Do you think Mac hates me now?" Dick asked.

"Why do you even care? She's not anybody," Cassidy reminded him.

Dick tried to act casual. "Well, Wallace told me that having a female for a friend was kind of cool. He's real tight with Veronica and suggested I try to be friends with Mac since she wasn't the type of girl I'd be into," Dick explained.

"I can see where Mac would be Madison's opposite in _every_ way, so okay. But I'm not sure she's going to want to be friends with either one of us if she thinks you go around drugging people and trying to get guys to have sex with her drunk girlfriends," Cassidy said grimly.

"Don't worry, bro, I'll fix this," Dick said. "She doesn't seem like she's as quick to hate as Ronnie. Besides, I'm not going to be the reason you never get laid!" Smiling with confidence after making that pronouncement, he patted Cassidy on the shoulder and strolled away. Cassidy just shook his head, resigned to never talking to Mac again.

**** _LoVe****_

"Did Mac leave?" Veronica asked Meg, looking around. "How did we not see her leave?"

"You were going on a good Dick rant, and then we were reminiscing. Maybe she felt left out. Or went to find Cassidy. They seem to have hit it off," Meg suggested.

"I guess I went a little overboard with the Dick stuff, but I thought she should know the Dick I know," Veronica said.

"I'm sure she knows that you were just looking out for her," Meg said. Then she spotted Logan and Duncan walking toward them.

"So we were going to wait and make you miss us before looking for you two. Then Logan reminded me that would never happen," Duncan said with a grin.

"True. We were about to start our own mutual admiration society," Meg said.

Logan came up to Veronica and slipped his arms around her waist. "I missed you," he whispered in her ear. She smiled at him. "We ran off Mac telling her scary Dick stories," Veronica shared.

"Why'd you go and do that? Dick acts halfway decent around Mac," Logan complained.

"I was warning her because she's my friend," Veronica said.

"Dick's _my_ friend," Logan reminded her.

"Mac asked Veronica why she was always so mean to Dick," Meg offered.

"Like someone needs a reason?" Duncan asked with a laugh.

"See, Duncan gets me," Veronica boasted happily.

"I get you just fine," Logan said, kissing her neck.

"So do you feel like dancing?" Duncan asked Meg.

Meg was a bit surprised by the invitation. However, if she had to figure out how to raise a baby with Duncan, she supposed learning to be comfortable around him again was the way to start. "Sure," she said. She took his hand and left Logan and Veronica.

"God, I feel like I haven't seen you in hours," Logan complained.

"It was maybe _one_ hour," Veronica said with a teasing grin. "It's good for us to have space. I don't want us to get sick of each other."

"I could never get sick of you," he said. He leaned down to kiss her, and her arms went around his neck. The kiss quickly took on a life of its own.

Veronica pulled back breathless. "Okay, hot stuff, enough of that. Too many witnesses," she said.

Logan flashed her an arrogant grin. "I can't help it that you go up in flames whenever I touch you," Logan said.

"You could go pro with that tongue of yours," Veronica replied.

Logan laughed. "So what do you have planned for tomorrow? Wanna shoot fireworks with me?" he asked.

"You and who? Dick? No thanks. Besides, I have daddy time plans. Remember, Sunday we're meeting Weevil at the beach to plan our next move," Veronica said.

"So I'm not going to get to see you tomorrow?" he asked with a pout.

"You'll survive. If you want to take me home now, we can take our time getting there. I don't have to be home until one," Veronica said airily.

Logan perked up quickly. "I am so ready to go. Are you ready?" he asked with a wide grin.

Veronica laughed and let Logan lead her toward the exit. He refused to stop for anyone who approached them, forcing Veronica to wave at Meg as they rushed by.

***** _More to Come******_

_ Thanks for reading! _


	14. Fourth of July Part 3

_*****The Mannings Early Saturday Evening*****_

Meg waited anxiously for Duncan to arrive with his parents. She imagined a half a dozen ways that the afternoon could end in disaster.

"Honey, do you want to help me put together the salad? I asked Lizzie, but she conveniently disappeared," her mom said.

"Sure," Meg said. It was a common thing in their house. Meg always smoothed things over and picked up the slack while Lizzie rebelled and pushed against the restraints. She gave a worried glance at Grace who sat too still at the kitchen table rolling silverware. For some reason, all of her parents' religious fervor was channeled into Grace. Meg had tried to get someone to notice, but so far, her every effort failed. What would happen to Grace if Meg left home? Who would be there to sneak her food or let her out of the closet she was frequently locked in? Suddenly, the magnitude of Meg's selfish act hit her. She had ruined everything, her life, Duncan's life, and now her baby sister's. She fought back tears as she rinsed the vegetables.

The doorbell rang just as she finished making the salad. "That's probably Duncan. I'll go let them in," she said to her mom.

She opened the door in relief. Duncan greeted her with a warm smile as did his parents. Her mom came up behind her. Their parents had known each other for years, so Meg didn't feel the need to run interference.

Duncan could see the panic building in Meg's eyes. "How about we go to your room?" he whispered to her. She held out her hand and led him upstairs to her room. She shut the door behind them.

"Are you okay?" Duncan asked in concern.

Meg threw herself down on the bed. "I'm a horrible person! I can't believe I let this happen!" she wailed. "What's going to happen to Grace if I have to leave? You don't know, Duncan. You have no idea the things that go on in this house."

Duncan was taken aback by her fear. He sat down on the bed next to her. He put his arm around her. "Meg, you haven't done anything. If anything, I did this. I did not take care of you like I should've," Duncan told her. "As for your sister, we'll take care of her, too. Don't worry."

Meg took a deep breath against the mounting hysteria that was building. She knew falling apart before she broke the news to her parents was foolish. "I can't help it, Duncan. I'm scared," she admitted.

"Well, my parents are here and so am I. You're not alone. My parents will support us and help us. If your parents react poorly, we'll take you from this place," Duncan said.

"Then Grace will be left alone," Meg said in concern.

Duncan gave her a questioning look. "Lizzie is here," he said.

"Lizzie is too busy rebelling and inciting my parents to watch out for Grace," Meg said.

Duncan finally asked what she was hinting at. "Do your parents abuse Grace?" he asked.

Meg stared at him a moment without answering. Then she made a decision and stood up. "Come with me. I'll show you. You wouldn't believe me unless you see for yourself," Meg said. She got up and led him out of the room. They went across the hall. Meg looked down the hallway and hesitated a moment. No sounds came from any of the other rooms, so she opened the door. "This is Grace's room. Come on in," she said.

Meg went in and walked to the closet. She opened it and pushed back the clothes. Duncan saw stacks and stacks of notebooks. Meg gave him one. Duncan opened it and saw that it was filled with a Bible verse. The same one written over and over. He turned the pages. The pages had the same exact verse on it. "They're all filled like that. My parents make Grace do that for hours for the smallest of infractions. They're determined that she not end up like Liz," Meg shared. Duncan looked at the dozens of notebooks in disbelief. Then Meg bent down. "That's not the worst of it. This is where she goes whenever they feel she needs to think about things," Meg said. She opened a door that at first didn't even appear to be there. Duncan crouched down to get a closer look. When he realized what Meg was showing her, he looked at her in horror. "They lock her in here, Duncan. Do you get what I'm saying? Is it clear now?"

"Oh, my God!" Duncan exclaimed in shock. How could anyone be so twisted? He had known the Mannings his entire life. No one would've guessed they hid such depravity.

Meg shut the door and put the closet back the way it was. She led Duncan back across the hall to her room. "Now do you see why I'm so scared?" she asked.

Duncan felt a bit out of his depth. How do you help someone dealing with such a thing? However, Meg was looking to him for help and for once he wanted to be the guy who didn't disappoint the girl. Then he had a sickening thought. "Did they do anything like this to you, Meg?" he asked.

Meg shook her head. "They didn't start getting like this until a few years ago when Liz started going wild. They joined a new church that is always warning about the corrupting influence of the world. Tough love is the mantra. Because I've never given them any cause for concern, they mostly leave me alone," she shared.

"I am taking you out of this house, Meg. You cannot stay here!" Duncan insisted. "No child of ours will be raised around these people."

"What about Grace? How can I just leave her?" Meg asked.

"After you turn eighteen, we'll report what is happening here to the authorities," Duncan said. "Maybe you can petition for guardianship or get her with a relative."

"I've tried reporting it. No one would believe my parents would do anything so awful," Meg said.

"If we get my dad's security head, CW, to document it, they'll listen. He is former FBI," Duncan shared. "He'll help us. He can get in here when your parents are at work."

Meg nodded in relief. Duncan was taking her tale seriously. He was going to help. She gave him a grateful look. "Thank you, Duncan. You can't know how much this means to me," she said. Then she leaned up and kissed him softly. It was the first time she'd initiated any type of physical contact between them since she told him the news about being pregnant.

Duncan smiled. "You're welcome," he said. "Let's get downstairs before our parents come looking for us." They turned to leave the room.

_*****The Mackenzies'*****_

Mac was in the living room watching a movie with her dad and brother. Her father and brother considered Mel Gibson's movie _Braveheart_ a Fourth of July staple even though it was about Scottish freedom and not American. Although Mac liked the movie the first three times she saw it, it was way too depressing for annual viewing, especially on a holiday that was supposed to be fun and festive. When the doorbell rang, she jumped from the couch, happy to have an excuse to answer it.

To say she was surprised to see Dick Casablancas at her door would be an understatement. "Dick, what are you doing here?" she asked. Instead of inviting him in, she stepped outside and shut the door behind her.

"I was wanting to talk to you," he replied. He seemed hesitant.

"About what?" she asked. She led him over to the side of the house to some lawn chairs her mom brought out during the summer months.

"About you leaving the party, about whatever Ronnie told you about me at the party," Dick said.

Mac was surprised and extremely uncomfortable. "I don't see that it should matter to you," she said.

"But it does matter. I like you. Beaver likes you. We want you to be our friend," Dick said.

"Why? You have lots of friends," Mac said.

"Wallace told me it was cool havin' a female friend. I don't have any female friends. Not really," Dick admitted.

Mac examined him a moment to view his sincerity. He seemed sincere even though she couldn't imagine why. "I don't see that we have that much in common, Dick," she said.

"How do you know? We've not spent any time together," Dick said.

"To be honest, I don't really see us being friends," she told him.

"Why not? Do you not like me?" Dick said.

"I don't really know you, Dick. You seemed nice enough, but.." her voice trailed off.

"But Ronnie told you a bunch of crap about me," Dick finished for her. "I didn't think you were the kind of girl that listened to gossip."

"Is it gossip? You never left Veronica in a room for Cassidy to have sex with her?" Mac asked point blank.

"Veronica came to the party after being banned from the 09ers and got hammered. She was coming on to every guy there including me. I just thought it'd be funny to put her in a room with Beav. I knew he'd never touch her. It wasn't a big deal. Logan was drinking shots off of her before that. Why is he okay, but I'm an ass?" Dick said.

"She'd been drugged, Dick," Mac said.

"Well, _I_ didn't know that, and I didn't drug her," Dick said defensively.

"Actually, you did. The drink you drugged for your girlfriend was given to Veronica," Mac informed him, a note of disdain in her voice.

Dick winced. "Well, you make it sound all sordid," Dick said.

Mac laughed in disbelief. "It _is_ sordid, Dick! I don't know if I want to be friends with someone that drugs his girlfriend."

"It wasn't like I wasn't going to drug myself, too. That's what you do. You take it and your girlfriend takes it, too. It's not like you can really take advantage of your girlfriend," Dick said.

Mac shook her head. He really didn't get it. "You took away a woman's choice, Dick, and an innocent person got hurt," she said.

Dick frowned. "Maybe, but I wasn't trying to hurt anyone," he said. "It was supposed to be fun, and I didn't know Ronnie was drugged. I just thought she got plastered. I'd never seen her like that."

For some reason, Mac believed him. Why would he go to the trouble of lying to her? What'd be the point? "Okay, Dick, I believe you," she said.

"You do?" he asked hopefully.

"I do, but if we're going to be friends, I need to know you'd never do anything like that again. I need to be able to trust the people I'm with," Mac said.

"I'd never do that to you, Mackie. I swear!" Dick assured her.

"I don't want you doing it to _anyone_ , Dick. I can't be friends with a guy who would," Mac said in a tone that broke no argument.

"Okay. I don't have a girlfriend now anyway," Dick said.

"And you won't get one by doing that kind of thing," Mac replied.

Dick looked sheepish. "So what are you doing tonight?" Dick asked.

"We're letting off fireworks. Mom's grilling outside," Mac answered.

"A cookout? Awesome! I'll bring some steaks," Dick said.

"I didn't invite you," Mac said.

"Well, you said we were friends. Didn't you mean it?" Dick asked her.

"I meant it, but..." Mac stumbled for an explanation.

"Beaver and I were going to blow up stuff at Logan's, but this will be way cooler," Dick said.

"Cassidy and Logan, too?" Mac asked in surprise.

"Well, I can't leave them behind. Beaver will think you don't like him. You bailed on our party without even saying goodbye to him. He thinks you don't like us anymore," Dick said in way of explanation.

Mac was taken aback. She hadn't meant to hurt Cassidy's feelings. He was so different from his brother, and she did like him. "How will I explain three guys coming to my house that I'm not dating? My parents will freak," she said.

"Well, you can date Beav if you want. He's kind of shy, but I know he's into you. I'll tell Logan to bring Veronica," Dick said.

"I think Veronica has plans with her dad," Mac said.

"So she can bring him. The more the merrier, right?" Dick said excitedly.

Mac wanted to protest that her parents wouldn't like it. However, she knew her mother would be overjoyed to have company. She was forever bemoaning the fact that Mac was such a loner while her mom was a social creature and loved company.

"Fine," Mac said, giving in.

"Oh, and we can invite Wallace, too. You like him, right?" Dick asked.

"Of course. Everyone likes Wallace," Mac said.

"Great! I'll go to the store and call the guys. We'll be back in an hour or so," Dick said with a happy grin.

Mac watched him leave. How did things get so out of control? She sighed and went inside to prepare her family for the coming invasion.

***** _Two Hours Later*****_

Veronica was still unsure how she managed to be at Mac's with her dad, Logan, the Fennels, and the Casablancas brothers. Keith was helping Sam Mackenzie grill the burgers, dogs, and steaks. Alicia seemed to be getting along fabulously with Mac's vivacious mother. It was apparent to Veronica that Mac was very different from her highly social family. Mac's brother seemed happy to share firecrackers with Darrel. It was an idyllic scene that she'd not experienced since Lilly was alive.

"How did you pull this off?" Veronica asked Mac. They were watching the boys play basketball. Wallace and Dick had somehow convinced Logan and Cassidy to play a game. Wallace and Cassidy were playing against Logan and Dick.

"I am still in shock. Dick is a force of a nature," Mac said. "I can't believe him and Wallace talked Logan and Cassidy into playing a game of basketball."

"You're lucky they didn't succeed in dragging us into the game. But Wallace rather show off in front of ladies than play with ladies," Veronica said with a laugh. "At least in basketball!"

"My parents have had enough shock for one evening. If I suddenly started playing basketball, they might take me in for drug testing!" Mac joked.

"Logan was more than happy to get to spend the evening with me. I told him I was spending it with my dad. We always sit on the beach with Back-Up and watch the fireworks. But he has been dating Alicia, so it was no stretch to get him to agree," Veronica said. "Did I tell you Dad is writing a book about the Lilly Kane investigation and what happened with Aaron?"

"Really? Wow! Does Logan know?" Mac asked.

"Yeah, I broke the news. He said he'd be happy to endorse it," Veronica said with a rueful grin.

"I can imagine his dad would hate that," Mac said.

"That's why he wants to do it," Veronica said. "But the hospital bills are overwhelming. Between his stay and mine this summer, it's been a lot. Logan keeps telling me his estate should pay for both since his dad was responsible for my dad's, and he thinks he's to blame for mine."

"He's got a point there," Mac said.

"But my dad is even more stubborn than me. He'll probably give in and let Logan pay for my bills since it happened in Logan's car. But there's no way he'll take money from Aaron," Veronica said grimly.

"Yeah, that would be kind of weird," Mac said.

They heard a shout as Wallace hi-fived Cassidy. "That's game!" Wallace shouted smugly. "We won!"

Dick looked disgruntled and Logan relieved. "It's over? Finally!" Logan exclaimed. He made a beeline to the drinks and grabbed the first thing his hand touched and gulped it down. Cassidy wasn't far behind. The two guys came over to Mac and Veronica, and Logan collapsed at Veronica's feet. "Did you see that? How did your sidekick talk me into that?" Logan asked.

"He's got mad skills as he so frequently tells me," Veronica said proudly.

"I haven't played basketball in a few years, but I managed to score a few baskets," Logan said.

"You did just fine, sweetie," Veronica said. She leaned down and kissed him.

Cassidy sat next to Mac. "Wallace is even more competitive than my brother," he remarked.

"You held your own," Mac said impressed.

"Dick's been dragging me into games since we were kids. Luckily, surfing is his passion and that's an individual sport. Logan and Duncan can keep him company with that one," Cassidy shared.

"I'm glad you were able to come," Mac said.

"I gather Dick didn't give you much of a choice," Cassidy said with a knowing grin.

"He is persuasive. I'm sorry I left your party last night without saying goodbye," Mac said.

"It's okay. I figure Veronica freaked you out with Dick tales or something," Cassidy said.

"She told me about Dick leaving you in a room with her, telling you to have sex with her," Mac said.

"I didn't touch her!" Cassidy swore.

"Yeah, she told me. She also told me that she wasn't drunk but drugged. She had GHB in her drink. She figured out it was the drink Dick meant for Madison. Madison likes to spit in drinks and give them to people she doesn't like. She must have given it to Veronica at some point," Mac shared.

"She wasn't drunk? That's why she was so out of it? She was amorous one minute and indifferent the next," Cassidy recalled.

"She only had the one drink. That's the effect of roofies," Mac said. She looked over at Veronica and Logan, who were wrapped up in each other. It was like no one else existed when they got like that.

"So did you get Dick to see what an ass he is?" Cassidy asked with a grin.

"Maybe," she replied. The man in question walked over to them with Wallace at his side.

"Awesome game! We almost had them, Logan. Next time!" Dick proclaimed.

"Bring a ringer if you plan on beating me," Wallace bragged.

"Guess that leaves me out," Veronica observed.

"Are you ready for the fireworks? The little bros already busted out the firecrackers," Dick said. "I got lots of Roman Candles."

"Aren't those illegal?" Veronica asked.

"Who cares? You're daddy ain't sheriff no more!" Dick exclaimed smugly.

Veronica opened her mouth to put Dick in his place then decided against it. Everyone was having a good time. For once, she could let it go. Logan looked at her in approval. He squeezed her and placed a kiss on the nape of her neck. They watched as Dick and Wallace went to get out the fireworks.

"I'm glad we did this," Logan said. "Your dad hasn't shot daggers at me all evening!"

"Give him time," she replied with a smile.

"Just admit it. I'm growing on him," Logan stated smugly.

"Like a wart. You resign yourself to it being there," Veronica quipped.

Logan reached in to tickle her, and she got up to run from his quick hands, shrieking with laughter.

Keith watched from the grill as Logan chased Veronica around the yard. He sighed. Although he wished his daughter wasn't dating the son of Aaron Echolls, he knew Logan loved his daughter. It looks like Keith might have to get used to having him around. He watched as Logan caught Veronica and threw her over his shoulders. There were worse things he supposed.

***** _The Next Day******_

Veronica, Logan, and Back-Up were waiting at the beach by Veronica's apartment. They were tossing a ball into the waves and letting Back-Up fetch it when Weevil finally joined them.

"Good morning, Weevil," Veronica said cheerfully.

"You're awfully chipper, V. Didn't you have a late night? I know I did," Weevil said, yawning.

"It's all about the company you keep, Weevil. Some people drain the life right out of you while others energize you," Logan said arrogantly.

"Okay, let's not start, Logan," Veronica said. "So, Weev, any news?"

"Yep. Hector confirmed that Thumper is dealing drugs with the Fitzpatricks. He went with Thumper to the River Styx," Weevil shared. "I told him to play along, get Thumper to trust him even more."

"You also know some of your guys are for sure involved," Logan added.

"I know. The whole situation sucks," Weevil said.

"Are you going to go talk to the witness, so he'll step forward?" Logan asked.

"Yes. This week," Weevil replied.

"I'll go with you, so let me know," Veronica said.

"Me, too," Logan proclaimed.

"No way in hell," Weevil countered.

Logan opened his mouth to argue when Veronica held up her hand. "Logan, he's right. We don't want him to feel cornered. I can introduce him to Weevil, smooth the way," Veronica said.

Logan didn't like it, but he conceded that Veronica was probably right. Weevil grinned, happy to have one-upped Logan.

"Did you find out anything else?" Veronica asked Weevil.

"Something that may be nothing. Hector mentioned that the last person who was caught admiring Molly Fitzpatrick came to a bad end. She's Liam's niece," Weevil shared. "I was hoping you could dig and see if she had any connection to Felix."

"You think she did?" Veronica asked.

Weevil shrugged. "I don't know. Felix had a huge crush on her back in 8th grade. I just can't ignore the fact that Thumper is connected to the Fitzpatricks, and he told Hector the last person who admired Molly came to a bad end. It could be nothing, but I figured it was worth checking out," Weevil said.

"Your instincts are right. I don't believe in coincidences," Veronica said. "I'll check it out."

"You can go now," Logan said dismissively to Weevil.

"With pleasure," Weevil said. "I'll call you V." He flashed Logan a smug grin, enjoying the fact that Logan couldn't stop Veronica from being friends with him.

"I wonder what Molly has to do with this? Do you know her?" Veronica asked Logan.

"I know who she is. She's pretty hot," Logan said with a grin.

Veronica tilted her head and narrowed her eyes. She waited without comment. Logan took a step toward her. "Not that she holds a candle to you!"

"Too late," Veronica said and turned to stalk off in a huff. She wasn't really mad, but she liked to make Logan work for it.

"Don't be mad, sugarlips! You know you're the most stunning of creatures!" Logan said chasing after her.

"As long as I'm _not_ standing next to Molly Fitzpatrick!" Veronica tossed over her shoulder. She suddenly stopped. Logan didn't expect it and plowed into her. He would've knocked her to the ground if he hadn't reached out to steady her.

"Look who's coming toward us," Veronica said pointing.

Logan looked and saw Duncan and Meg finding their way toward them. Logan put his arm around Veronica, waiting for their friends to reach them.

"We found you!" Meg said in relief.

"How did you?" Veronica asked.

"Your dad told us where you'd probably be," Duncan answered. "I hope it's okay.

"Absolutely!" Veronica said. "It's great to see you. How did it go yesterday?"

"That's why we thought we'd hunt you up and tell you about it," Meg said.

"Well, you're still alive, so that's good," Veronica said happily.

"Barely," Duncan said with a shudder. "That was not an evening I'd _ever_ want to repeat."

"Duncan was brave enough to be the one to break the news to my parents," Meg shared with a pleased expression. It was obvious to Veronica that something had changed between them, and she was happy to see that.

"How did he react?" Logan asked.

"As expected. He got up and tried to punch me out. Dad had to pull him off of me," Duncan said with a grin.

"You can grin now, but yesterday was an ugly scene. The only one who enjoyed themselves was Lizzie. She was happy to see me finally screw up," Meg said with a rueful grin.

"He insisted we get married, or he'd have statutory rape charges brought up on Duncan. Duncan turns eighteen in September. Celeste about died and started on me and about how I obviously seduced her precious, perfect son," Meg revealed with an eye roll.

"Now that doesn't surprise me!" Veronica said with a grin.

Duncan looked a bit embarrassed. He never could understand why his mom always thought he was so perfect. It used to piss off Lilly so much.

"So when's the wedding?" Logan asked with a grin.

"We agreed to give it serious consideration after the baby turns a year old," Duncan said.

"You're joking!" Veronica stated in disbelief.

"No. My parents had to hear even more than Duncan's that this could end in a marriage," Meg said flatly. "It doesn't mean we'll get married."

"A lot can happen in eighteen months, so who knows?" Duncan said with a shrug.

"Either way, I'll be done with high school and out of my parents' control. It'll work out," Meg said, her relief obvious.

"Well, I'm happy for you guys," Logan said.

"So are you going to be able to stay at home?" Veronica asked.

"I'm going to try. At least for now," Meg said. "After the baby comes, we'll see." She exchanged a look with Duncan that Veronica couldn't decipher. But it was clear to Veronica that Duncan did not like the thought of her and the baby being at her parents' house.

"So how did your Fourth go?" Duncan asked. "What's this about a party at Mac's?"

"Now that's a crazy tale..." Veronica began as they headed back to her apartment. Back-Up happily led the way.

*****Chapter End*****


	15. Getting to the Truth

****** _Wednesday after Fourth of July Weekend*_ *****

Veronica had to wait until Wednesday before she could do any real investigating for Weevil. There was a crucial tool she needed to obtain before talking to Molly. Dick had mentioned that Molly Fitzpatrick was taking summer classes. Although Veronica often joined Logan for lunch, she had never noticed Molly. Dick said it was because she never ate lunch in the courtyard with everyone else. So Veronica kissed her boyfriend and said a quick hello and then abandoned him to go hunt Molly up. She found her ten minutes later in the library, the last place she'd have expected. She had the _shock and awe_ approach planned for Molly, so the library was a perfect, private place to set her plan into action.

She sat down across from Molly. "Hey, Molly. Do you have a minute?" Veronica asked politely.

Molly looked up from the book she was reading. If she was surprised to see Veronica, she didn't show it. Instead, she looked annoyed at the interruption. "No. I have to pass both my summer classes if I want to graduate this year. I don't have time for whatever crap you're involved in," she said dismissively.

"Actually, I'm not involved in anything, but I think you are. Or rather you used to be," Veronica said casually.

As planned, that got Molly's attention. "Okay, Veronica. You have two minutes," she said, looking up from her book.

Veronica reached into her bag and pulled out a folder. It took some sweet maneuvering to get this particular evidence. She ignored the guilt that began to creep up at what she had planned. "It won't take long. I just need you to take a look at these two photos and tell me how well you knew the victim," Veronica said. Then she opened the folder and laid out two photos.

Molly looked at the photos and jumped up so quickly that she knocked her chair over. "What the hell, Veronica? What kind of sick bitch are you?" Molly demanded to know. She looked both angry and slightly ill. Involuntarily, her eyes went down to the two photos. One was a shot off of an obviously dead Felix on his side, the pose he was first found in when CSI arrived on the scene. The second photo was him turned on his back, blood trickling out of his mouth. Veronica hated herself for being cruel, but she discovered that sometimes it was necessary.

"I'm sorry, Molly, but I'm trying to find out who killed Felix, and I heard you and he were involved," Veronica said. She put the photos away without taking her eyes off Molly's face, reading her expression.

Molly looked away. "I don't know who told you that, but it's not true," she said flatly.

Her inability to look Veronica in the eyes belied her protest. "Molly, I can tell you're lying. Felix meant something to you. What I want to know is if your relationship had anything to do with his death," Veronica said.

Molly looked angry. "I had nothing to do with killing Felix! Everyone knows it was your rich boyfriend who did him in!" she said hotly.

"No, it wasn't. Logan doesn't carry around a switchblade. He doesn't even _own_ a switchblade. Not to mention, I know for a fact that it was one of Felix's own gang that killed him. Weevil was knocked out. Of course, Felix was his best friend, so he was never a suspect. But who do you know that might be willing to do the dirty work for your uncles? I can't imagine they'd approve of you dating a PCHer," Veronica said.

Molly's eyes widened a moment. Her mind was obviously racing, but she wasn't a Fitzpatrick for nothing. One rule had been drummed into her at an early age. Never trust an outsider, especially one connected to the cops. Sheriff Mars may not be Sheriff anymore, but he was a P.I. and an honest man. Molly knew better than to share anything significant with Veronica Mars, his daughter. "I don't know what you're talking about. Stay the hell away from me!" Molly ordered. She grabbed her stuff and marched off.

Veronica hadn't really expected Molly to tell her anything. However, she had wanted an answer to the question Weevil proposed, and she got one. Molly and Felix had definitely been involved.

She looked at her watch and went outside to meet Weevil. Logan was still sitting in the quad with Dick and Cassidy. He waved her over. "Did you get the bad guy sweetie?" he teased and kissed her lightly.

She sat down next to him to wait for Weevil. "Bad girl. Maybe," she said with a satisfied smile.

Logan raised an eyebrow but didn't comment since they weren't alone.

"So, Ronnie, we were just telling Beaver that he should ask out Mac. What do you think? She's your friend. Would she say yes?" Dick asked with a grin.

Veronica looked at an obviously embarrassed Cassidy. She smiled. "Mac is a bit shy, but I think she might be happy to get to know you better," she said to him.

"Mac shy? You're kidding!" Dick exclaimed in disbelief. "She doesn't seem shy to me. She yelled at me easily enough."

"That's because you leave a person with no choice," Veronica said dryly. Logan laughed. His laughter was cut off when a loud motorcycle pulled up. Veronica jumped up and waved. Logan looked annoyed when the driver took off his helmet.

"Why does Weevil always have to be around?" Logan complained.

"Are you into threesomes, Ronnie? I'd be happy to take a number!" Dick suggested gleefully.

Logan smacked him on the back of his head and turned to his girlfriend. "I'll be back in an hour or so," she said.

When Weevil pulled out another helmet from the back of his bike, Logan's eyes widened. "Hell, no!" he exclaimed. "You are _not_ getting on that bike with him!" he insisted.

"I don't believe you're my father or in any position to tell me what I can or can't do," Veronica replied firmly. Then without giving him a chance to argue further, she walked over to Weevil and got behind him on the bike. She took the helmet Weevil handed her.

Weevil flashed Logan a satisfied smirk and gave him a little wave before driving off with Veronica's arms wrapped around him.

"I really hate that guy!" Logan exclaimed in disgust.

Dick was choking back the laughter. Even Beaver tried to hide a grin. "Dude, she totally put you in your place!" Dick said laughingly. "That was awesome! She is such a ball-buster! Glad I'm not dating her!"

"Shut the hell up, Dick, before I kick your laughing ass!" Logan exclaimed. He gave Dick a hard shove, knocking him off the bench. Now Cassidy couldn't hide his amusement anymore.

Dick took the shove good-naturedly. "It’s okay, Logan. I know you're rather be punching out Weevil, but Ronnie won't let you!" Dick said slyly. Then he jumped up and ran off laughing before Logan could hit him. Cassidy quickly got up and followed after him, not wanting to become the target of Logan's anger.

***** _Veronica and Weevil_ ******

Veronica had done her foot work and knew what time Luis took his break at the seafood company. She wanted to introduce him to Weevil when they could have some level of privacy. She coached Weevil. "Now , Weevil, remember you can't intimidate him. You need to assure him that there will be no retaliation for stepping up. He's got a family, and he's scared."

"I'm not an idiot, V. I know what to do," Weevil assured her.

They located Luis eating lunch with a guy. When Luis saw her, he whispered something to the guy, and he got up and left. Luis eyed them warily, but he nodded to Veronica.

"Sorry to interrupt your lunch break," Veronica said. "I wanted to introduce you to my friend, Eli Navarro. He's the leader of the PCHers, and he wanted to meet you."

Luis looked nervous but shook Weevil's hand. "Call me Weevil," Weevil said. "You can relax. I'm not here to start any trouble. I just wanted you to tell how much I appreciate you stepping up and making sure the killer of my friend Felix gets what's coming to him."

"I can't afford any enemies. I have a family. I don't want my kid hurt in any drive-bys," Luis said.

"We don't go around shooting up neighborhoods!" Weevil said in annoyance.

Veronica stepped in. "Of course not. Luis is just concerned about his family," she said soothingly. "Will you tell Weevil what you told me and Logan?"

Luis looked at Weevil a minute then shrugged. "I saw one Mexican stab another and then bend down to another guy laying on the bridge. The guy took off. When I approached the guys on the bridge, the white guy, Logan, jumped up. He had a knife in his hand. He threw it over the bridge and got in his car and drove off," Luis shared.

"So you know that it was a Mexican that stabbed Felix and not Logan?" Weevil asked.

"Yes," Luis said.

"Luis, I brought Weevil here, so you can be assured that no retaliation from the PCHers will occur if you step up and tell the police what you saw," Veronica said.

"My boys want the killer to pay. I give you my word that no one will bother you. I will see to it," Weevil promised.

Luis sighed wearily. "I'll discuss it with my wife, but I can't make any promises," he said.

Veronica smiled. That was more than he'd given her the last time they spoke. "Great! I want the world to know that Logan isn't like his father. You can make that happen," she said.

"Thanks, mi amigo," Weevil said as he extended his hand. Then a thought occurred to him, and he got out his cell phone. "Would you mind looking at some pictures in my phone and tell me if any of the guys look like the one you saw on the bridge?"

"I don't know that I was close enough to give a positive I.D., but I'll look," Luis said.

Weevil pulled up the photos he had with his contacts and showed Luis how to scroll through them. Luis looked through them. He lingered over three but shook his head. "I remember the guy had a shaved head. He wasn't too tall. He was shorter than the guy he stabbed," Luis said.

Veronica and Weevil exchanged a glance. They both were thinking his description fit Thumper perfectly. "Which three guys do you think?" Weevil asked.

Luis showed them Jorge, Juan, and Thumper. All three had shaved heads and similar shapes in their faces. "Thanks so much, Luis. You've been a great help," Veronica said.

"Please, think about telling the cops. They can show you mug shots, too," Weevil said.

"I'll give it some thought," Luis said.

Veronica and Weevil left him to finish his lunch.

When they made it back to school and Veronica's car, Weevil asked, "It's Thumper. I know it! Do you think he'll go the station and share what he told us?"

"I hope so. Now we just have to wait," Veronica said. "By the way, you were right about Molly. She and Felix were definitely involved. But she wouldn't tell me anything useful."

"Just knowing that is useful. Now we have a motive. Thumper killed Felix probably because Felix found out about his side business, and he wanted to win favor with the Fitzpatricks," Weevil said.

"Or they asked or paid him to do it," Veronica said.

"Either way, we're closer to nailing Thumper," Weevil said with satisfaction.

Veronica nodded in agreement and waved goodbye. She checked her phone. Logan would be getting out soon, so she decided to wait for him.

Twenty minutes later, Logan and Dick wondered out. Logan immediately scanned the parking lot for Veronica's car. He sighed in relief that it was still there and smiled when he saw her standing by his car instead of her own.

"Looks like Ronnie made it back in one piece," Dick observed. He waved at her, but she ignored him.

"Beat it," Logan said. Dick grinned and took off to his truck with his brother by his side.

"Did my man do good in school?" Veronica asked with a teasing grin.

"I got A's and became the teacher's pet all in one day," Logan quipped proudly.

"That's my boy!" Veronica exclaimed grinning. Logan leaned in for a kiss. Veronica gave him a quick smack on the lips.

"You ran off with Weevil and that's all I get?" he complained with a pout.

Veronica gave him a head tilt as if considering his request. "I suppose. Since you were such a good boy," she said. She put her arms around his neck and gave him the kiss he was looking for.

When they separated, Logan said, "So I hope your little bike ride with Weevil was worth it."

"It was. I think Luis is going to tell the cops, but he wants to talk to his wife first," Veronica shared. "I also found out that Molly was involved with Felix."

Logan gave her a proud look. "The things you manage to accomplish in a lunch hour! You put the rest of us mere mortals to shame," he said admiringly.

"True. But I still need to eat like other mortals. Buy me a late lunch?" Veronica asked.

"Only if I get to drive. I'll bring you back to your car later," Logan said. Veronica agreed and got in.

***** _Mac's House_ *****

Mac was playing World of Warcraft online when Cassidy logged on. She typed in a greeting. They'd been spending more time online playing games and getting to know one another better since the cookout. She loved his wicked sense of humor. He was incredibly intelligent, which she found very attractive.

For some reason she was caught off guard when he typed her a question. _U free Friday night?_ His message asked. Mac hesitated a full minute then typed, _YES_. Cassidy quickly came back with _do u_ _want to have dinner with me?_

Mac smiled and typed in yes. _Pick u up at 7?_

Mac again typed in yes. She was finally going to have her first date.

****** _At the Casablancas_ ******

Dick was reading over Beaver's shoulder. "See, I told you. She's into you," Dick said with satisfaction. He proudly pounded his brother on the back.

Cassidy was both surprised and pleased. For the first time in a long time, he felt excited about something.

***** _Neptune Sheriff Department Wednesday Evening_ *****

Sheriff Lamb was pretending to be busy when one of his deputies came into his office. "Sir, we got a guy out here who said he was a witness the night a PCHer died on the bridge."

"That's the Echolls' case, right?" he asked. When his deputy nodded, he waved his hand. "Send him in. I want to talk to this guy myself."

Twenty minutes later, a very relieved Luis left the Sheriff's Department. Sheriff Lamb came out of the office and said to Leo. "The guy who just left will be back in the morning. Set up an appointment with our sketch artist. He claims he saw one PCHer stab another PCHer on the bridge that night. Looks like Logan Echolls might not have killed the guy after all," Don said.

Leo seemed relieved to hear it. He didn't like knowing Veronica was dating a murderer. At least, her judgment wasn't completely screwed up. But he had to ask, "Do you want me to make sure this guy has no connections to Logan or the Echolls family?"

"Good idea. Glad I thought of it. Do that," Don said arrogantly.

Leo turned to follow orders when another deputy asked him, "Did I just hear right? A witness has stepped forward in the PCHer stabbing? It wasn't Logan Echolls after all?"

Leo filled in the deputy. Neither of them noticed the PCHer nearby. Jorge had come in to pay a speeding ticket. When he heard PCHer, his ears perked up. News of a witness was worth something. He pulled out his phone to make a call.

***** _To Be Continued*_ ****


	16. Unexpected Take Down

****** _The Next Day (Thursday)******_

Thursday Morning, Sheriff Lamb was sitting at his desk when Sacks knocked on the door. "Sheriff, the witness to the PCHer murder from May is here to give a statement," he told Don.

Don smiled. "Send him in," Sheriff Lamb ordered. He was a bit surprised when a nice looking, distinguished white guy entered instead of the Mexican he'd talked to yesterday evening. "You're not the witness I talked to yesterday."

"No, I'm Dr. Tom Griffith. I'm a doctor in this community and don't want to make any enemies, but I can't remain silent any longer. I saw Logan Echolls stab that poor Mexican teen on the bridge back in May," the man said with a hint of regret in his voice.

Don Lamb raised any eyebrow. This should be interesting. "Really? I can't wait to hear your tale," he said with interest. "Have a seat."

****** _Neptune High School_ ******

Veronica was meeting Logan for his lunch break at school. He came out of class with Dick and Cassidy. "Yo, your hotness is here again. Aren't you tired of her yet?" Dick asked with a grin.

"You're just jealous because you keep getting shot down since Madison dumped you," Logan ribbed.

"Did you order lunch?" Dick said, ignoring Logan's jab.

"I did," Cassidy said. "I ordered 2 pizzas. One meat lovers and one veggie."

"Good boy," Logan said. He kissed Veronica in greeting. "Glad you're here to class up this joint."

"Every girl's got a goal, sweetcakes," Veronica replied dryly. She looked at Beaver. "So Cass, I've been wondering. Why is a smart guy like you even in summer school? I know why these two stooges are here. But you? Not so much."

Cassidy looked embarrassed. Dick snickered. "He flunked driver's ed. I told him I'd teach him, but he said he didn't need _my_ help!"

"Because you're a lousy teacher. I still haven't recovered from you teaching me to ride a bike and that was ten years ago!" Cassidy replied in irritation.

Dick just grinned, obviously not perturbed. "He's got to get his license if he wants to take Macalicious out on a date. The girl doing on the driving is really lame. He doesn't want to keep reminding her that he is a whole year younger!" Dick said laughingly.

"Mac loves driving her new car, so I doubt she cares at all," Veronica said, feeling sorry for Cassidy. He flashed her a grateful look.

Their conversation was interrupted with the pizza delivery guy's arrival. They ate in companionable silence. Veronica finally said, "So do you want to hear my good news?" she asked Logan.

"Of course," he said.

"Leo called me," Veronica said. She grinned when Logan's eyes flashed distastefully.

"Why should I be happy you got a call from your ex?" Logan asked.

"He's not an ex. We went out like a handful of times. Barely a boyfriend," Veronica replied.

"Is this Leo the deputy?" Dick interjected. When Logan looked annoyed, he laughed. "Ronnie digs older men. Gotcha! I am almost a year older than Logan."

"Like she cares," Cassidy snickered.

Veronica ignored them. "As I was saying, Leo called with news that concerns you," she said pointedly.

Logan realized what she meant and grinned. "Really? Good news I hope," he said.

"That's what I said. Good news. Luis came through last night. He's meeting with a sketch artist today sometime. Probably when he gets off work," Veronica shared happily.

"Yes!" Logan exclaimed with a fist bump in the air. Then he leaned over and gave Veronica an enthusiastic kiss.

"So what are we missing? We want to hear the good news," Dick complained.

After Logan finally ended the kiss, leaving Veronica breathless, he told Dick, "We found a witness to corroborate my testimony. He saw the whole thing and knows I didn't stab anyone that night on the bridge."

"You already got off for that. What's the big deal?" Dick asked confused.

"The big deal is I don't want everyone thinking I'm my dad or that my money allowed me to get away with murder," Logan said in annoyance.

"No one thinks that," Dick said loyally.

"Yeah, they do, Dick. Why else are the PCHers so hell bent on picking fights with us?" Logan asked.

"'Cause they're jealous that we have money, and they don't, and their leader has the hots for Ronnie!" Dick pronounced with a grin.

Veronica narrowed her eyes at him while Logan shot daggers. "Keep it up, Dick, and I'll let Veronica use her Taser on you!" Logan warned.

Veronica reached in her bag and pulled it out. She turned it on and admired the flow of electricity. Then she gave Dick an evil grin.

He held up his hands in surrender. "I was just kidding!" he exclaimed. He grabbed another piece of pizza and jumped from the table. "Catch you guys later!" Then he ran off.

"I guess my brother is smarter than we thought," Cassidy joked. Although both Logan and Veronica smiled at his remark, he decided to leave the two of them. He didn't really feel comfortable hanging out with them without his brother.

"Alone at last!" Logan said with satisfaction.

"Dick's incredibly easy to scare off," Veronica said with satisfaction.

Logan laughed. "So do you think you can request off next weekend?" he asked.

"Maybe. Why?" Veronica asked.

"Do I have to be the girl in this relationship _all_ the time?" Logan complained.

Veronica tilted her head and smirked. "If the heels fit," she replied.

Logan rolled his eyes. "Anyway, _as I was saying,_ our three-month anniversary is coming up," Logan reminded her.

"How do you figure that?" she asked.

"Well, I count our first kiss as the beginning of our relationship," he said. "What date do you use?"

She shrugged. "I don't really. I'd probably count from the day after Aaron tried to kill me and you showed up bloody at my doorstep," she replied with a grin.

"That's too depressing of a date. We should go with the date two weeks prior when you rocked my world with that kiss," Logan said with an exaggerating dreamy sigh.

Veronica giggled. "Okay. If that's what you want, it works for me," she said.

"I love a compliant woman! For my anniversary gift, I'd love to have you comply with my every whim for an hour or two!" Logan suggested with a leer.

Veronica surprised him by giving him a considering look. "I'll think about it," she informed him. When he choked on the soda he swallowed at her pronouncement, she laughed in satisfaction. She loved to keep him guessing.

**** _*Later that Day_ *****

Weevil decided it was time. He needed to gather his men and lay his card on the tables. Thumper needed to be removed, and he needed to pay. Hector sent out the notice and everyone was waiting for Weevil. Luis had called him and told him last night that it was done. He gave his statement. It was only a matter of time before Thumper was arrested. Weevil knew that Luis would easily pick Thumper's photo out of the mugshots he would look through.

"Everyone's here," Hector told him.

"So how many do you think Thumper controls?" Weevil asked.

"Not a majority. That's for sure. Maybe 20%," Hector replied.

"Once we reveal our proof and confront Thumper, it should be a lot less," Weevil said in anticipation.

Hector led the way to where the boys were gathered. They were at his uncle's junkyard after hours. He climbed up on a pile of crushed metal, so the entire gang could see him.

"I called you all here today because I have disturbing news," he informed them in a loud voice so all could hear him. "Thumper, step forward, please," he ordered grimly.

"I had an interesting talk yesterday with an eyewitness of Felix's murder," Weevil announced. "And guess what he had to say? He told me without any doubt that Logan Echolls did _not_ stab Felix!"

Murmurs and confusion went through the crowd. "What do you mean?" a voice called out.

"This eyewitness told me one of our own stabbed Felix. We have a traitor in our midst!" Weevil exclaimed with disgust, looking pointedly at Thumper.

"Some rich 09er is lying for Echolls!" someone yelled out.

"No!" Weevil shouted back. "It was someone from my own neighborhood."

The guys started whispering to one another. Weevil waited until they quieted. "The person who stabbed Felix is in bed with the Fitzpatricks!" he announced.

Some murmurs of outrage and disbelief spread across the crowd. However, the outrage wasn't as widespread as Weevil expected. He looked at Thumper. "Thumper, why don't you tell our brothers why you killed Felix, and why you've sold us out?" Weevil asked pointedly.

Thumper laughed. He got a few angry glares but many simply waited to see how the confrontation played out.

"You think this is funny?" Weevil asked in anger.

"I think the lengths you will go through to protect that white bitch's boyfriend is hilarious!" Thumper said disdainfully. He dismissed Weevil and faced the gang. "Weevil has one thing right. I have been working with the Fitzpatricks in order to get us back some of our former glory. I'm tired of being broke and having to scrounge for parts for my bike, aren't you?" he asked. Several guys nodded. "I didn't kill no one!" He glared at Weevil. "In fact, just this morning some rich, white guy went into the Sheriff's office and confirmed that it was Logan Echolls that stabbed Felix!"

"What?" Weevil asked in disbelief.

"Tell him, Juan," Thumper ordered.

A scared looking freshman stepped up. "Uh, it's true. My cousin is a custodian at the Sheriff's department. He told me Sheriff Lamb was going to issue a warrant for Logan's arrest as soon as he found a connection with Logan and the other guy who came to the station yesterday," Juan said.

"Hell no!" Weevil exclaimed in disgust.

"It's obvious that Weevil can no longer be trusted to lead this gang. He has divided loyalties. His friendship with this white girl has colored his vision. He was seen with her just yesterday," Thumper said disparagingly.

Weevil wasn't going to let him grandstand any longer. "Everyone here knows that Veronica Mars is our ally. She helps us, and we help her. That's all. There's no conspiracy. I hate Logan Echolls, and she knows this. None of this is relevant. I heard with my own ears that it was a Mexican who stabbed Felix and planted a knife in Logan's hands. Logan was still passed out. So was I. This eyewitness gave me a description that fits you, Thumper," Weevil challenged. "You are a lying murderer! We don't do business with the Fitzpatricks. They killed our old leader, Felix's brother. Have you all forgotten already?" He turned from Thumper and looked his boys in the eyes. Many were unable to hold his gaze, and Weevil was taken back. Too many were unconvinced of his words.

"We've forgotten nothing!" Thumper said back. "We've not forgotten what a joke we've become since you've taken over! You've allowed the 09ers to continuously abuse us. You've stood back and done nothing. Now you are trying to turn us against one another in favor of a spoiled son of a murderer!"

"Are you challenging my leadership?" Weevil asked.

"Yes! You are jealous of the money I've brought to the gang and are trying to poison my brothers against me. Your witness is a phony. I don't know any rich, white guys to tell lies for me. Can you say the same?" Thumper asked.

Bootsie stepped forward. "I just called the station. It's true. Some doctor came in there this morning and gave a statement against Echolls," he said. He flashed Weevil a regretful look. Hector looked dismayed, and he exchanged a look with Weevil.

"It's not possible!" Weevil declared, at a loss. How did things fall apart so quickly? He thought he had every angle covered.

"It is possible! _You_ are the problem! You've let Logan get away with killing one of our own long enough!" Thumper told him. He looked at the group. "You need a leader who isn't afraid to make hard choices. Weevil is dragging us down!"

"No, he's not!" Hector declared, stepping forward. "Molly Fitzpatrick was dating Felix. You did her uncles a favor and got rid of him!"

Thumper laughed. "Can you see what's happening? Weevil is spinning fantasies. Poor, dumb Hector will believe anything Weevil says. However, two different people have confirmed what I have said. Logan paid some guy to clear his name with a phony testimony. What kind of rich, white doctor is going to take our side? Only one that is telling the truth!" Thumper declared.

Murmurs of agreement started spreading through the crowd. Angry murmurs begin escalating.

"We can't let him get away with this!" Jorge shouted.

"We gotta get Echolls!" someone else yelled out.

"So that's how it's going to be? You're siding with Felix's killer?" Weevil asked in disbelief.

"You've got it wrong!" Hector declared in agreement.

Thumper stepped forward and slugged Hector. When Hector fell to the ground, Thumper looked down at him and said, "No one asked you for your opinion. You can follow Weevil, or you can follow me. Make your choice now. Weevil's out."

More and more voices began agreeing with Thumper. Daniel, a senior who had been second choice to lead before Weevil took over, stepped forward. "I say we clean out our trash and then go find Logan before the cops do," he said viciously. Then he stepped forward and shoved Weevil back until he fell to the ground. Suddenly, several guys surrounded Weevil and began kicking him.

Weevil tried in vain to protect his head. His vision narrowed and then went black. Hector was too far away and couldn't reach him. He had barely been able to push through the crowd before it was over. Thumper started barking out orders. And just like that, Weevil was overthrown.

***** _A Half Hour Later_ *****

Logan was in his room flipping channels on the television. Suddenly, he heard a window break and voices. He went to his bedroom door and before he could react, he was hit hard with something and his vision went dark. He was oblivious to the ransacking of his house. He started to come to and made out some fuzzy images of guys grabbing some of his things. Then there were more loud crashes, so he started to get up.

"He's moving. Hit him again!" someone ordered. A hard kick in the head knocked him out again.

Thumper barked out an order. "Bring in the gasoline!" he shouted.

Two guys started pouring gasoline through the house. "Are we leaving Echolls here?" Bootsie asked in concern.

"Echolls? I don't see anyone. Do you?" Thumper asked with a grin. He stepped over Logan's unconscious body. Bootsie looked down at Logan's prone form feeling ill. "Come on!" Thumper ordered.

Bootsie pulled out his phone and sent a text.

When they had cleared the house, Thumper threw a lit lighter and the gasoline caught fire. "Burn baby, burn!" he shouted gleefully. He got on his bike. "Vamos!" he shouted.

His guys followed suit. Leaving Logan Echolls to be burned alive.

***** _TO BE CONTINUED******_


	17. Unlikely Savior

_ ******Where We Left Off****** _

Lack of air and instinct for survival brought Logan to consciousness. His room was filled with smoke. Immediately, he was racked with coughing. He crawled to a corner to grab a t-shirt that he had piled in the corner. He stuck the shirt to his face hoping it would filter out some of the smoke. Turning his gaze toward the exit, he felt relieved to see that his bedroom door had been left open. Holding the cloth to his face, he slowly got to his feet. Every part of him seemed to protest at the movement. Pain exploded throughout his body. His confused mind recalled what had brought him to this point. "Damn, PCHers!" he thought. Why would Weevil do this? As much as he disliked the man, he had trouble picturing Weevil authorizing this. Maybe it was done without his knowledge. It didn't matter now, What mattered was him getting out of his now burning house alive. He wasn't ready to leave Veronica.

Logan stumbled to his bedroom door and slowly peered out. There didn't seem to be any flames yet on the second floor. Cautiously, he made his way to the stairway. He looked down in horror as the area below was engulfed in flames. He thought a moment about going back to his room and trying for the window. However, his bedroom window did not have a handy trellis to climb down or pipes or any other such convenient thing you'd see in a movie or TV show. Unlike, Dawson from _Dawson's Creek_ , whose best friend Joey climbed up a ladder daily to come see him, his window had no such convenient ladder. "Damn, Dick! Why couldn't he be that kind of friend?" Logan thought.

Steeling himself, he gingerly made his way down the stairs. The flames were climbing up the walls but so far the stairs were solid. Logan allowed himself a moment of victory as he successfully made it down the stairs in one piece. His instinct was to head toward the front door. However, after just a few steps, he realized that was not an option. The wall of fire was too thick. Turning toward the kitchen, he tried to make it to the patio exit. He narrowly avoided a falling piece of the roof. Panic started to set in. It seemed that everywhere he turned he was greeted by more flames. Why hadn't his dad's fancy water sprinklers came on? Why wasn't he hearing the sirens of the fire trucks? Surely, his neighbors could see the flames. Why did everyone chose this moment to suddenly give his family privacy?

He let out a yelp when a small flaming piece of wood hit his arm. Was it really going to end like this? Was he going to die burned alive? Something inside him protested at the injustice of it all. His dad had put him through so much pain his entire life. It didn't break him; he was strong. His mom selfishly abandoned him to his monster of a father in a permanent fashion, but he didn't falter for long. His loss never destroyed him. For the first time in his life, he had someone in his life that he loved that didn't constantly hurt or disappoint him but brought him joy. He needed to see where it led. Logan wasn't ready to give up Veronica so soon—not like this. She had suffered enough loss in her short life. It wasn't fair that he should be made to leave her now.

Determined, he pushed on. He stepped over a fallen piece of something. A sigh of relief came out of him as he finally saw a path to the exit. It seemed like he was going to make it after all. The kitchen hadn't yet caught fire like other parts of the house. The PCHers probably knew their wasn't anything of value in the kitchen. Logan had almost made it to the exit when a large piece of the ceiling broke off. He dodged most of it. However, he tripped over something that had broken off and fell. The smoke seemed unbearably thick. Coughing once again racked his body, and he couldn't breath. There wasn't enough air. Where did all the air go? He tried to get up but suddenly had no strength.

Crawling his knees while holding the shirt with one hand, he pressed on toward the patio door. A loud crash from the front of the house startled him. The house was falling apart, but he was almost out. Logan was determined to make it. He inched ahead. Just a few more feet.

Finally, he reached the door. Adrenaline filled him as he surged to his feet in victory. However, as he reached to open the door a sharp pain pierced his backside. The pain knocked him to his knees—something must have hit him. His vision grew dim. Fighting to remain conscious, he took a deep breath. It was a mistake. All he breathed in was smoke. He put the shirt tight against his face and struggled to get up, to escape the inferno he was trapped in. If he could just reach the latch, he thought. He stretched up and fumbled with the lock on the door. It seemed like forever before he succeeded. However, the door was finally unlocked. Now, all he had to do was slide it open and get through the doorway. Logan struggled to his feet, a spark of flame seemed to fall from overhead. Burning pieces began to rain down like confetti. Unable to go forward, Logan was forced by instinct to cover his head in protection. He inhaled more smoke. It was like his lungs froze in protest. Spots swam in front of his eyes. He moved the shirt back to his mouth and kept one arm raised up protectively around his neck area. He had to get out. Reaching out a hand to push up open the door, he fought to escape his fiery death. The room wasn't yet filled with flames, but the smoke seemed determined to suffocate him. He never before understood how precious, how necessary, oxygen was. Gasping for breath, fighting off the panic and terror that filled him, he tried to find the strength to stand. However, for the first time in his life, his body refused to obey his commands. Betrayed, he collapsed, and darkness fell.

***** _Fifteen Minutes Earlier_ *****

Several miles away, Weevil was fighting through his own fog of pain. The roar of motorcycle engines brought him back to awareness. He realized that he must have been knocked out. Rage filled him. "Damn, Thumper!" Weevil could not yet comprehend how things had come to this end. Thumper actually beat him. He turned the gang against Weevil. He was getting away with killing Felix and betraying them all. Weevil slowly got to his feet. No matter how this had happened, he wasn't going to let Thumper get away with it. Weevil flexed his various body parts. Nothing seemed to be broken. He hurt in several places, his ribs in particular. He felt his side. One of the ribs may be broken or cracked.

Weevil made his way to his bike. He was relieved to see that it was still parked where he left it. They must have been too eager to punish Logan to bother with destroying his bike as tradition demanded. Thinking of Logan, Weevil realized he should call and warn him. He pulled out his phone and tried to call. However, voicemail picked up the call. He dialed Veronica.

"Hello?" she answered.

"V, the shit has hit the fan. Find your boyfriend. Thumper turned the gang against me. After knocking me out, they're probably going to go after him. You should warn him," Weevil advised.

Veronica sat up in fear. "Oh, God!" she exclaimed. Her dad looked at her in concern. They had been watching a movie together. For once, he had the time to relax with his daughter.

"What's wrong?" he asked.

Veronica moved her hand over the phone. "Weevil's on the phone. He's been overthrown. Thumper is after Logan,and I got to get to him," she said.

"Not by yourself, you're not!" Keith said sternly.

Veronica didn't argue. "Weevil, we'll head to his house now. My dad's going to come with me, so don't worry," she told him. "Thanks for the warning."

Weevil disconnected. He was relieved. For some reason, V was attached to Logan. He knew if Logan was seriously hurt, Veronica would become very upset. She was unpredictable when she was upset. Feeling responsible, Weevil got on his bike. He might as well head over there, too.

Driving toward Logan's house, he stopped at a red light when his phone vibrated. He reached into his pocket to answer grab it. He saw it was a text from Bootsie. _Logan knocked out in his burning house_ the message said. Weevil read the message twice, unable to believe it. He put the phone up and raced toward Logan's house. For once, the lights he went through were green. In record time, he made it to Logan's. The gate was open. He drove his bike through it. The house was lit up. Flames shot out. In the distance, he could hear sirens. Help was on the way.

Weevil shut off his bike and scanned the area. He didn't see Logan, so he must still be inside. Weevil went to the front of the house but quickly realized that he would be unable to gain entry. The flames were too thick. He quickly ran to the back of the house by the pool. When he got to the patio door, he saw a collapsed Logan on the other side of the door. The poor guy was so close to the exit. Cautiously, Weevil touched the door. It wasn't hot. He slid it open. Reaching down to grab Logan by the arms, he pulled him through the door way.

The fresh air brought Logan to awareness. He began coughing. Peering up at his savior, he tried to see who had come to his rescue. "I got you. You're out," the man said. Logan forced his eyes to focus. He realized it was Weevil.

"Why?" Logan gasped out. Weevil pulled Logan's arm around his shoulder so he could bear Logan's weight.

"This wasn't me. Come on. We've got to get away from this house," Weevil said. He led Logan around the pool to the side of the house. Logan stumbled and leaned against Weevil. Weevil secured his grip on Logan, who allowed him to lead as he breathed in the fresh air, coughing all the while.

A car screeched to a stop. The sirens penetrated Logan's foggy brain. Finally, the fire truck had arrived.

"Logan!" a voice shouted. Logan looked up as he sagged against Weevil. It was Veronica and her dad.

Keith took in the scene in an instant. It was apparent that Weevil had just pulled Logan from the burning house. Keith quickly went over to Logan's other side, relieving some of the weight from Weevil. An ambulance arrived as the firemen started to pull out their hoses and try in vain to save the house.

"Are you okay?" Veronica asked fearfully when she made it to Logan's side.

Logan wanted to answer her, but his lungs refused to cooperate. He still couldn't seem to get enough air. The spots returned. He legs gave out, and he sagged heavily against Keith and Weevil.

Veronica gave her dad a fearful look. "Over here!" Keith shouted to the paramedics who had gotten out the gurney. Obviously prepared, one of them had oxygen. They quickly came over to relieve them of their burden. Logan was placed on the gurney, the oxygen around his mouth.

"Is he going to be okay?" an anxious Veronica asked the paramedic. Logan had passed out.

"I don't know, ma'am. We'll take him to the hospital so that the doctors can do their work," the man replied.

Veronica started to turn to her car when Sheriff Lamb got out of his squad car. "Well, it looks like you finally got the Echolls back, huh Veronica?" he asked with a slimy smile.

"Surely, you don't think Veronica burned down her boyfriend's house, especially with him in it?" Keith asked, the outrage apparent.

Don looked at Keith a moment then shrugged dismissively. "Probably not, but I bet Weevil here could give me some answers," he said, noticing how beat up Weevil was. "Did you two come to blows? Veronica stringing you both along?"

Weevil gave him a cold look but didn't respond. Veronica got in Don's face. "Listen here, you sorry excuse for a sheriff, Weevil is the one who dragged him out of the burning house to begin with! We pulled up as they were coming out!" she yelled angrily. Sometimes, Don Lamb was too dumb for words.

"Probably set the fire when they were fighting. Either way, he's coming with me to give a statement down at the station," Lamb replied. He took great satisfaction in putting the handcuffs on Weevil.

Veronica opened her mouth to protest further, but Weevil cut her off. "Don't worry about me, V. I'm okay. I'll fill him in. Go to the hospital. I'll call you later," Weevil told her.

Veronica was torn. She hated to see Lamb railroad anyone, especially a friend of hers. However, worry for Logan was foremost in her mind. "We'll go to the hospital, and then I'll send my dad to pick you up. I'm calling Cliff for you," she said to Weevil as Lamb led him to his squad car. Lamb needed to know Weevil wasn't going to be without protection for long.

"Come on, sweetie. I'm sure Logan's fine, but let's go see," Keith said. He put his arm around her to guide her away from Lamb and Weevil.

Veronica let him lead her to the car. When they got in, she took out her phone and sent a text to Duncan and Dick telling them to meet her at the hospital because Logan was hurt. She put away her phone, hoping that Logan would pull through this. Then she realized she'd forgotten to call Cliff, so she made the call.

***** _Chapter End*****_

_ I am very proud of how this chapter turned out, and I hope you enjoyed it. Thanks for reading! _


	18. Fiery Consequences

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> I hope everyone has a very MERRY Christmas!

**** _Neptune Sherriff's Department****_

Weevil was trying hard to keep his temper in check. He had told the idiot Sherriff that he and Logan had NOT fought, but his gang had turned on him. Sherriff Lamb just smirked. He was obviously enjoying listening to Weevil repeat his humiliating tale. Finally, a deputy opened the door, interrupting them.

"Sherriff, his lawyer is here," the deputy said to Lamb.

Before Lamb could respond the door was pushed open. A tall, gangly white guy came in and glared at Lamb. "You were told that he was getting council, yet you saw fit to interrogate him before I got here! That is unacceptable, Sherriff! Release him now unless you plan on charging him," the man said. Weevil sat up straight and grinned.

"We are still investigating," Lamb replied.

"You were told by both Keith and Veronica Mars that Eli Navarro was on the scene for the sole purpose of pulling the victim out of the house. Veronica told me that Mr. Navarro called and warned her that the PCHers were out to get Logan Echolls. He arrived on the scene to help," the lawyer said.

"So he claims," the Sherriff replied sourly.

Cliff dismissed him and turned to Eli. "I'm Cliff McCormack, your attorney. He can't retain you for being a good citizen, so let's go," Cliff ordered.

Sherriff Lamb tried to protest, and Cliff shot him a look. "You know good and well that you have no reason to keep him here. You had no right to question a minor without a parent or guardian anyway. Eli is not yet eighteen, as I'm sure you very well know. I'm considering filing a grievance against you at City Hall, so I suggest you back off. I also suggest you start checking the pawn shops for the loot that was carried out of the Echolls house. I doubt setting fire to the place was the only thing that happened this evening," Cliff said sternly. He turned back to Weevil. "Come on."

Weevil eyed the Sherriff and got up slowly to see if he was going to protest. When Lamb said nothing but just looked annoyed, Weevil allowed himself to smile.

"Don't leave town," Lamb ordered.

"Where would I go?" Weevil said. Then he followed Cliff until they were in the hallway.

"Thanks," Weevil said.

"Don't mention it. It goes on Veronica's tab. I'm sure she'll find a way to collect from you," Cliff said with a grin.

"She always does," Weevil admitted, returning the smile.

"So there's probably no point in me telling you that you really should give the Sherriff the names of your friends who left Logan to die," Cliff said.

"I'll take care of it," Weevil said.

Cliff sighed and shook his head. "Okay, I tried. If you change your mind, let me know. If Lamb doesn't find any leads, he'll go back to you. We'll worry about that when it happens," Cliff stated. "So do you want me to take you back to your bike? Veronica told me it was left at the Echolls."

"Yes, please. I take it Veronica is at the hospital? Any word on Logan?" Weevil asked.

"He was unconscious last I heard. Smoke inhalation can be deadly. Most people don't die in fires from the flames, but they suffocate to death from lack of oxygen," Cliff said as they walked to his car.

Weevil found himself hoping Logan was okay. The fall-out of his death would be astronomical. The war between the haves and the have-nots would escalate much worse than before. If he wasn't in charge of the gang, he couldn't really do anything about it. He sighed in disgust. Why should he care to help the guys who turned so easily against him anyway?

***** _Neptune Memorial Hospital*****_

Veronica couldn't quit pacing. Worry and fear kept her on her feet. She and Keith were the only two waiting in the ER waiting room. The doors opened, and Veronica looked up expectantly. Instead of a doctor it was Duncan, Dick, and Cassidy.

"Dude, what's going on? What happened?" Dick asked in concern.

"So much that I don't know where to start," Veronica replied. "Logan's being treated for smoke inhalation. His house burned down."

"What?" Duncan asked in disbelief.

"The PCHers are convinced he killed Felix. I don't know all the details. Weevil didn't get a chance to explain everything to me," Veronica replied.

"Weevil didn't get to _explain_ why he burned down Logan's house with him left inside? Are you freakin' kidding me?" Duncan asked in anger.

His emotional response caught Veronica by surprise. He didn't even get angry when his sister was killed. Veronica figured that he must not be taking his anti-depressants anymore. "Weevil didn't do anything. He saved Logan's life," Veronica insisted.

Dick laughed in disbelief. Even Cassidy looked doubtful.

"It's true," Keith interjected. "Eli called Veronica at the house and warned her that his gang was out to get Logan and thought Veronica should go check on him. We headed over there, but Eli got there before us. He was pulling Logan out of the burning house when we arrived."

"How do you know he didn't set the fire and was just trying to use Veronica as an alibi?" Cassidy inquired.

"Because his gang turned on him. He's not in charge anymore. When you see his face, you'll see how badly it ended for him," Veronica said flatly. "He was already on his way to Logan's house when he called us, so he got there before us. Weevil and I just talked to an eye witness yesterday that told us for sure that Logan never stabbed Felix. Weevil didn't believe Logan was guilty of anything, so he wouldn't have hurt Logan."

"I take it you've not heard the news this evening?" Duncan asked. "A witness did come forward, but the witness claimed he saw Logan stab Felix."

"What?" Veronica asked in disbelief. "No way! Luis wouldn't have done that. I don't believe you. You must have heard wrong."

"No, I didn't. And it wasn't a guy named Luis," Duncan said.

"Some fancy doctor," Dick added. "I'm surprised Logan wasn't already arrested again."

"The wheels of justice don't always move quickly," Keith said.

"Especially with that moron in charge!" Veronica exclaimed. "I know Luis went to the Sherriff's Department and gave a statement. Weevil was planning on telling his gang and confronting Thumper, the guy who actually killed Felix." Veronica's mind was racing as she sought to put the missing pieces together without Weevil's input. "If someone in the gang knew about the new witness, that could explain why things went south for Weevil."

"So this Thumper guy planned a coup?" Cassidy asked.

"What's a coup?" Dick asked, confused.

"That's an overthrow of the government or whoever is in power," Cassidy explained.

"Exactly!" Veronica exclaimed in satisfaction as everything came together in her mind. "Thumper must have used the intel to his advantage and convinced the majority that Logan was to blame. I bet Weevil's friendship with me was a mark against him, too."

"He's got the hots for you," Dick declared with a smirk.

"Whatever," she replied with an eye roll, not wanting to get into it with him. "His gang knows we're friends and that I'm dating Logan, so I can see how things went downhill. If two witnesses came forward with contradictory statements, who would you believe?" she asked her dad.

"I'd go with the more credible witness, especially if the witness had no ties to the victim or accused. No reason to lie," Keith said.

"You'd believe the doctor even though he was lying?" Veronica asked.

"I go with the evidence and what my gut was saying," Keith said.

"Well, you have a better gut than Don. I bet he threw out Luis's testimony," Veronica stated.

Her conclusions were cut off when a doctor came in. "Are you here for Logan Echolls?" the doctor asked them.

"Yes!" Veronica said. "I'm his girlfriend. His has no family. His mom's dead, and his dad's in jail. Is he okay?"

"We did a chest x-ray to determine how much damage to the lungs the smoke caused. He obviously inhaled a lot of smoke," the doctor said.

"He was conscious when he was pulled out," Veronica said.

"That's good. However, he was unconscious when he was brought in. Then he started seizing," the doctor replied.

"Seizing what?" Dick asked, perplexed.

"Smoke inhalation can cause seizures," the doctor patiently explained. "The oxygen we were giving him through the mask wasn't enough. We had to intubate him."

Veronica gasped. Cassidy quietly explained before Dick could ask, "That's when they stick a tube down his throat so the air can be sent directly to his lungs."

"Exactly. That seemed to help. He isn't in a coma, so that's good. But we sedated him, so he won't fight the intubation. He is also being treated for several burns. Most were minor. However, he had a first degree burn on his back where something pierced him. He received some stitches," the doctor said.

Veronica leaned heavily on her father as the doctor described the extent of Logan's injuries. "So he's in a lot of pain?" she asked, upset at the picture the doctor was painting. Dick and Duncan were looking a bit dismayed at the news.

"We have him on some pain medicine to help alleviate the worst of the pain. But burns are always painful. Smoke inhalation also causes a painful burnings sensation in the lungs," the doctor explained. "If he doesn't show improvement in a few hours, we may have to do a bronchoscopy procedure. That's where we use a small scope to directly look at the degree of damage done to the airways, and it also allow for suctioning of secretions and debris. Hopefully, we won't have to do that."

"That sounds awful!" Dick exclaimed.

"It's not fun for the patient," the doctor explained.

"So he's going to be okay?" Duncan asked.

"I think so. If he responds to the treatment in the next few hours, he'll be out of the woods. But I don't want to mislead you. His body has been through severe trauma. It's going to take some time," the doctor said.

"Can we see him?" Veronica asked.

"Not yet. They are still working on treating his burns. Check back in a half an hour with the nurse. They'll probably send him to a room in ICU before allowing visitors," the doctor said.

"ICU? Is he going to die?" Dick asked in a panic.

"His condition is critical, but I have every confidence that he'll pull through. He's young and in good physical condition. It makes a difference," the doctor said. Then he turned to leave.

"Of course, he's not going to die!" Veronica said angrily to Dick. "Why would you ask that?"

"Honey, it's a normal question," Keith said soothingly.

"Well, ICU is bad, so I had to know," Dick said defensively.

Keith's phone rang, and he stepped away to answer.

"I'm going to call Meg," Duncan said. "She'll want to know."

Veronica went over and sat down on one of the chair. Dick sat down next to her. "I should probably call Wallace," she said.

"And Mac," Dick said hopefully. Maybe she could keep Ronnie from biting his head off for no good reason.

"You should call Casey and Luke," Cassidy told Dick. "They'll want to know Logan's in the hospital."

Veronica got out her phone, but before she could make a call, her dad came over. "That was Cliff. He got Eli out of jail and just dropped him off to get his bike," Keith said.

"Dude, they arrested Weevil?" Dick asked. "Didn't you say he saved Logan?"

"You know Sherriff Lamb is barely competent. He saw that Weevil was beat up and wrongfully concluded that Logan and he were fighting and that he set the fire," Veronica said in disgust.

"But you're sure he didn't?" Dick asked doubtfully.

"Yes!" Veronica exclaimed in annoyance. "He had no reason to fight with Logan. I told you! Weevil was convinced that Thumper killed Felix, not Logan. He saved Logan's life."

Dick nodded, satisfied with her response. He got out his phone to make some calls.

Veronica called Wallace. She told him what happened. "Do you need me there?" Wallace asked.

"My dad is here," she said. "So are Dick, Duncan, and Cassidy."

"You're outnumbered. I'll head over," Wallace said.

A few minutes later, Casey and Luke arrived. They had heard about the house burning down on the news, but the news hadn't reported that Logan was home when the fire was started. Dick had just started filling them in on what happened when Weevil came in.

He saw the 09ers and immediately tensed. He tried to ignore them and walked to Veronica. She got up when she saw him and gave him a hug. "Are you okay? Did you see a doctor?" she asked in concern as she eyed his mangled face. He had noticeably winced when she hugged him.

"I think I have a cracked rib or two," Weevil said.

"You should get it looked at," Veronica said.

"Why is he here?" Luke asked in disbelief. Dick had stopped talking when Weevil came into the waiting room.

"He's got a lot of nerve. He has his gang of thugs try to kill Logan and then he shows up here like it's nothing! How can Veronica hug him?" Casey asked angrily.

They turned toward Weevil about to lunge at him. Dick said, "Dudes, you got it wrong. I'm going to hug him myself." Dick then walked toward Weevil and pulled him into a big bear hug. His friends watched in shock.

"Ouch! Let me go! Have you lost your mind?" Weevil asked in dismay, grabbing at his sore side. He shoved Dick off of him. Veronica laughed. For once, grateful to Dick for his silliness.

"Dude, Ronnie told me you saved Logan's life! Thanks!" Dick said with a grin.

Veronica explained what happened to Casey and Luke. After hearing her explanation, the two guys walked over and offered to shake Weevil's hand. Weevil looked dubious, but he held out his hand, accepting their handshakes.

"I'm going to go see if they'll let Logan have visitors yet," Keith announce as he left the waiting room.

"How's Logan?" Weevil asked Veronica. She updated him on his condition. Then Keith came back and told them Logan was being sent to a room in ICU on the 4th floor. They all headed to the elevators. Weevil tried to sneak off, but Veronica wouldn't let him leave. When the elevator doors opened, Wallace stepped out.

"Where's everyone going?" he asked.

Veronica grabbed his arm and pulled him back into the elevator. "Logan's been moved up to ICU on the 4th floor. We're heading up there. Thanks for coming," she said, giving him a hug.

"Is he going to be okay?" Wallace asked.

"The doctor said we'll know for sure in the next few hours, but he seemed confident that Logan would be okay," Veronica said.

"Weevil saved Logan's life," Dick announced.

Weevil rolled his eyes. He had a feeling Dick was going to be announcing this to everyone he saw for the next several days.

Wallace just nodded, taking it in. He never tried to understand Veronica's relationship with the man who had duct-taped him to a flagpole. Nor did he quite understand her willingness to date Logan, her chief tormentor. She seemed to have a weird effect on the most savage of men. He tried not to think about it too much. He was just grateful that she stepped in on the most humiliating of days. He valued her friendship even if it did often require him to do some unorthodox things. Mostly, he usually just went with the flow. She was a complicated girl, so Wallace never expected her to do what was expected. The elevator doors opened, and they all stepped out.

They went to the nurses' station who gave them the room number. "Only two visitors at a time in ICU. The rest of you will have to wait in the waiting room," the nurse said, pointing to a door a few feet away.

Veronica and Duncan went to see Logan first. Veronica's hand went to her mouth when she saw all the machines and the tube in Logan's throat. Duncan put his arm around her and led her to Logan's bedside. His arms and one of his legs were covered in white bandages. They had him turned slightly on one side. Probably due to the burns on his back. He looked uncomfortable.

"He's asleep, but he still looks like he's in pain," Veronica observed. She tenderly wiped his hair back off his forehead. She saw a dark ugly bruise. The PCHers must have knocked him out before they set the house on fire.

"That's a nasty bruise," Duncan said.

"I'm sure they attacked him when they broke in. He could have a cracked rib or a concussion. We should mention it to the doctors. Since Logan can't speak for himself, they may not realize," she said. "I can't believe this has happened. Hasn't he suffered enough?"

"Haven't we all?" Duncan remarked. "You know that old staying, 'What doesn't kill you, makes you stronger.' Logan's a survivor. We all are."

Veronica nodded in agreement. That was true. However, she couldn't help but wish they didn't have to survive so much. Didn't they deserve some happiness? Wasn't this supposed to be the fun, carefree years of their life?

"I'm tired of being so strong all the time," she admitted. She leaned down to place a soft kiss on Logan's chapped lips. "Come back to me," she whispered in his ear before she pulled back.

Veronica sometimes found herself surprised to still being dating Logan Echolls, the head jackass of her school. Or rather the former. He had truly seemed to change the past few months, especially when she got shot. She knew that he loved her. It hurt her to see him like this. Maybe a part of her was starting to love him back. The thought of that terrified her. People she loved inevitably let her down, or they left her. Logan brought out so much inside of her. She wasn't always sure how to deal with it. Looking at him now so damaged brought tears to her eyes. Veronica realized that she wasn't ready to lose him. They had just really begun.

Duncan looked at Veronica and then back at Logan. He hated to see his friend like this. Sometimes he thought Logan was born under an unlucky star. But then he saw how Veronica looked down at Logan. She wiped tears off her cheek. Duncan finally understood—he had lost her forever. Maybe Logan's luck was changing. Duncan was happy to realize that he really no longer felt jealous. If Logan pulled through this, Duncan had a feeling that happiness might finally be within Logan's reach.

***** _Chapter End_ *****

__


	19. Recovery

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> I hope you'll be merciful if my spin on Logan's medical treatment isn't feasible! I figured if soap operas can get away with some of their ridiculous medical storyline (I think of Days of our Lives), then I figured mine would be alright!

****** _Later That Same Night_ ******

A few hours after Logan was in ICU, his breathing greatly improved. It was with great relief that Veronica and Logan's friends listened as the doctor told them the good news. By morning, the doctor felt Logan would be able to breathe on his own. Keith tried to get Veronica to go home and come back in the morning. However, she refused. Since he had no family that cared what happened to him, she told her dad that it wouldn't be right to leave. She knew that if the situation was reversed he wouldn't leave her alone in the hospital. But she was lucky; she had her dad. Dick said that he'd be back in the morning. Duncan didn't want to leave, but Veronica told him the ICU would frown on two non-relatives hanging around so late. He promised to come back first thing.

Veronica had been watching Logan sleep restlessly when Mac arrived. Veronica was surprised to see her.

"I thought I'd drop by after everyone had left to see how you were doing," Mac said.

Veronica was so taken aback by her thoughtfulness that she stared at her a full minute before replying. "I'm okay. Just worried. Logan's in a lot of pain, and when he wakes up he has to deal with our incompetent Sheriff," Veronica shared.

"About the arson investigation?" Mac inquired.

"No, it seems that someone has come out of the woodworks claiming that he saw Logan stab Felix," Veronica said.

"I thought you had a witness that cleared him," Mac replied confused.

"I did. Luis went and told what he knew, and then low and behold the very next day this new witness shows up. A Dr. Griffith. Obviously, someone is paying him to lie," Veronica said sourly.

"Well, since you've got your hands full here, why don't I go and see what I can discover about Dr. Griffith? I can get into his bank accounts. See if there's any weird activity. If someone is paying him, there will be a paper trail," Mac said.

Veronica smiled. "Would you? That'd be so great! I could run a check on his known associates tomorrow when I go home. Why don't you meet me at my place for lunch?" Veronica said.

"Sounds like a plan. Oh, I sort of have a date tomorrow night," Mac shyly confessed.

"Oh really? Who's the lucky fella?" Veronica asked with a smile.

"I'm sure you know. It's Cassidy," Mac shared. She blushed in embarrassment.

"Well, Cassidy _is_ the better half of the Casablancas brothers, I think," Veronica said.

"He's really smart, and we have a lot in common. But I don't think Dick's too bad. He's been surprisingly nice to me," Mac said.

"I've noticed. You have a very nice effect on Dick. I usually don't want to kill him when you're around," Veronica said with a wry grin.

"I told him he that if we were going to be friends that he had to behave," Mac said.

"And somehow that works. Careful, Q, or you could become the favorite rope in a game of tug-o-war," Veronica teased.

Mac looked flabbergasted at the suggestion. She decided to change the subject. "Try to get some rest if you can. Call me if you need me," Mac said.

Veronica said goodbye to her feeling better than she had. Mac was turning out to be a really good friend. She was much different from Lilly, but she suited the person Veronica was now much better.

***** _The Next Day*_ ****

Logan woke up suddenly. It was like he was oblivious one second and then alert the next. Fear of being burned alive spurred him to full wakefulness. In a panic, he opened his eyes and looked at his surroundings. He relaxed slightly when he realized he was in a hospital room. Then he relaxed more when he saw Veronica asleep in the chair next to the bed. She was curled up in it as only a tiny person could. He smiled and called out her name. However, his voice didn't work. He tried again. A scratchy, whispered, "Veronica," came out of his mouth. Was that him? Was that his voice? He moved to touch his throat and winced at the pain that went through him at the slight movement. It seemed to come at him in all directions. His arm, his legs, his throat, and most intensely, his back.

Veronica must have been attuned to him because even his whispered call jarred her awake. She sat up and looked anxiously over at him. "Logan! You're awake! How do you feel? Are you okay? God, I was so worried!" she rushed out as she jumped up and peered down at him.

Logan tried to give her a reply, but it came out in a breathless whisper. A bit of panic set in. He gave Veronica an imploring look that she correctly interpreted. "Don't worry about your voice. The doctor said it may take a few days before your throat is healed. You inhaled a lot of smoke, and you were intubated. They came in just about two hours ago and took out the tube," Veronica explained. She turned and grabbed the water the nurse had sat on the table. "Here take a sip of water. The nurse said it'd help. I'm going to go get her." Veronica moved the little table so that it went over his bed, and he wouldn't have to struggle to reach the water. Then she left to grab a nurse. Logan painfully reached for it and took a sip, letting the cool liquid soothe his parched and aching throat.

The nurse came back in with Veronica a minute later. The nurse gave him a friendly smile. "Welcome back, Logan. I know it's scary to wake up and not be able to talk. But your voice will come back. Don't try to strain your vocal chords by talking. We'll get you something to write with. Your throat needs some time to heal," the nurse said. Then she showed Logan how to work the nurse call button. "Are you in pain?" she asked him. Logan nodded, and Veronica winced in sympathy. "Is your pain level more than a five on a scale of 1 to 10?" Logan nodded. "Okay, we have a morphine drip on you. With burn victims, we normally give a lot of pain meds the first 24 hours then start to drop it back. So push this button when your pain level starts to climb. It's set up so that you can't go past a certain amount. The doctor will be here in another hour or so. He'll give you an update on your condition. Your back was hurt the most. That's why we have you propped up slightly on your side. After breakfast, I'll turn you over to the other side," she told him. "I'm going to go find you a notebook or something so you can write. It will keep you from trying to talk."

She left and Veronica took her place by Logan's side. Veronica brushed her hand gently across his forehead and leaned down to place a soft kiss on his chapped lips. "I'm so sorry, Logan. I'm so sorry about your house," she said.

Logan's eyes darkened as memories came back to him in a rush. He remembered being surrounded by Weevil's gang but no Weevil. Then he remembered Weevil pulling him out of the flames when he had given up. "Weevil," he breathed out.

Veronica was close enough to hear his quiet whisper and nodded her understanding. "Don't talk. I'll try to explain what I know happened. Weevil confronted Thumper for killing Felix, but it all fell apart. Thumper challenged him because another witness came forward saying he saw you stab Felix. This fake witness is a doctor or something. Mac's checking on it now, so I'll know more after lunch. Anyway, the PCHers beat the crap out of Weevil and took off to punish you. I'm assuming they broke into your house. Weevil called me and warned me they were heading to you, so Dad and I were already on our way. Weevil got a text from one of the PCHers telling him that you were left for dead, so he raced over to your house and got there before us. When Dad and I pulled up, he was pulling you out of the burning house. He saved your life," Veronica said grimly.

Logan nodded, thinking about the events. He had tried with his last bit of strength to open the kitchen door and failed. He was a goner. At least that was what he thought until the door opened, and Weevil appeared. For a moment, he had thought Weevil was there to cause further harm. However, Weevil surprised him. Although he knew he should only feel gratitude, a part of him was really annoyed that he was suddenly so indebted to the guy. If it had been anyone but him, Logan would have been much happier.

Veronica knew him too well. "I know you're not happy that Weevil played the hero and saved your cute ass, but he did. I, for one, am very, very grateful. Even a few more minutes in that blaze could have caused irreparable damage to your lungs and body," she told him.

Logan sighed in resignation. Then the nurse appeared and gave him a notebook and pen. Logan quickly wrote, _Is my house completely gone?_

"To be honest, I don't know for sure. It was pretty engulfed by the time the fire department got there. I'll drive by and assess the damage after I meet Mac for lunch," Veronica said.

Logan wrote again on the pad. _Who told the cops that I stabbed Felix? Will I be charged again?_

Veronica looked annoyed. "I don't know anything but that it was a white doctor. Mac's going to find out what she can. I do know Luis did go to the station and told them it was not you that stabbed Felix. However, Dad told me that the most credible witness will be believed. Knowing Lamb, he threw out Luis's testimony. Don't be surprised if he comes by here. Dad's going to go by and talk to Lamb before he comes by here to find out what way the wind is blowing," Veronica explained.

_ Do I need a lawyer? _ Logan wrote.

Veronica pursed her lips together for a moment thinking. Then she nodded. "It wouldn't hurt. I'll call your lawyer and let him know what's going on," Veronica said.

Someone came in. It was Duncan. "Hey, you're awake! That's a relief," he said, smiling. "How do you feel?" Duncan came over to the other side of the bed.

"He can't talk. His vocal chords need time to heal. He's got a notebook," Veronica explained. "I'm going to go home and clean up. I got Mac doing some research on the new, lying witness that has miraculously appeared as our real witnessed stepped forward. I'll be back after lunch to tell you what I found out." She leaned over and kissed Logan goodbye. She hated to leave Logan looking so broken, but she wasn't going to sit back on her heels while the police built another case around him. He'd been through too much already.

***** _A Few Hours Later*_ *****

Veronica had just finished making two turkey sandwiches when the doorbell rang. She opened it and smiled to see Mac. "Great. I just finished making our lunch. Turkey sandwiches," Veronica said as Mac came into her apartment.

Mac looked uncomfortable. "Remember, I'm a vegetarian. Peanut butter and jelly would be better. If you have it, of course," Mac said.

"Oh, I'm sorry! I forgot. Too much going on in my brain today," Veronica said apologetically. "I can do PB &J. No problem. Milk?"

Mac grinned and nodded. "How's Logan?" Mac asked as Veronica finished getting things ready.

Veronica updated her on Logan's condition. Then brought their sandwiches and drinks to the table. She let Mac take a bite of her sandwich before asking, "So did you find out anything?"

"Well, I sort of hacked into the Neptune Sheriff Department and found out the full name of the doctor and his information. It made researching him easier," Mac shyly admitted.

"I'm impressed!" Veronica said with an admiring grin.

"It's not too hard. They have pathetic security," Mac replied with a shrug.

"So what's this witnesses name?" Veronica asked. She got up and grabbed her laptop.

"Tom Griffith. He's a plastic surgeon," Mac said. "So I got access to his bank account and found a deposit for $20,000 from Fitzco Incorp, which is the listed owner of the River Styx."

Veronica only raised an eyebrow when Mac so casually mentioned accessing the doctor's bank records. However, when she mentioned the River Styx, Veronica perked up. "So he's in bed with the Fitzpatricks? That's perfect! It explains everything! Thumper's working for them, so they called on the good doctor. He must patch them up whenever they get banged up in their not-so-safe line of work," Veronica stated knowingly.

"I guess if you like to live dangerously, it's good to have a doctor on speed dial," Mac remarked.

Veronica typed the doctor's name into her search engine on her laptop and got the number to his office. "Hi, my name's Madison Sinclair, and I'd like to make an appointment to see Dr. Griffith," Veronica said into the phone while giving Mac a smirk. Mac laughed. "Monday would be great. The sooner the better. I think I need so much work!" She hung up the phone with a satisfied smile. "I'll meet the good doctor on Monday and see if I can get my hands on his patient list. I will also stake out his work afterward and see if I can get photos of him with the Fitzpatricks. We got to start compiling enough evidence that even Lamb won't be able to ignore."

"Shouldn't you tell him about the bank findings now?" Mac asked.

"Well, Lamb dislikes me so much that he could arrest me for getting the information illegally. There's no way I'm going to bring you to his attention," Veronica said. "Now pictures he'd expect. The more information we have the better."

Mac nodded. "So what's next for today?" she asked.

"Well, I'm going to go by Logan's house and see how bad the damage is. He was asking about it. How about you? Are you ready for your big date? Do you know where he's taking you?" Veronica asked with a sly smile.

"He's not taking me anywhere. He doesn't drive yet, remember?" Mac reminded her with a rueful grin. "He's retaking drivers ed this summer. Dick finds that fact a high source of amusement."

"I bet he does," Veronica said. Dick rarely passed up a chance to give his brother a hard time or anyone for that matter.

"I don't mind driving. Gives me something to do with my hands," Mac confused. "I haven't dated much." She felt foolish admitting it, but Veronica was easy to talk to.

"It's not hard. Guys usually like talking about themselves and sports. However, Cassidy isn't like most guys. He'll probably be more nervous than you, so don't worry," Veronica assured her.

They chatted a bit longer, and then both headed out. Veronica was anxious to see Logan. She made a detour on the way to the hospital and stopped outside the gate to Logan's house. To her dismay, she stared at the charred shell that was all that was left of Logan's childhood home. She had mixed feelings as she looked at what was left. A part of her rejoiced that the house Aaron defiled Lilly in was no longer standing. Now that Aaron had been transferred to the state pen, every trace of that man was now gone from Neptune. Except Logan, of course. No matter how much she pretended otherwise, he would always be Aaron's son. She thought about what that meant to her. Could she really ever love the son of the man who killed her best friend and tried to kill her? Maybe it was because they had been friends before they had been enemies. She didn't know, but she rarely thought of Logan as anyone but himself. His presence and personality were so strong that when she was with him, Aaron was never who she thought about. Although Logan's house reminded her of his father and his wealth and status, she knew that for Logan it was the only part of his mom he had left. Veronica said a silent prayer that Logan had some of his mother's things in storage somewhere.

***** _The Hospital_ *****

When Veronica made it back to Logan's hospital room, it was empty. In a panic, she went to the nurses station to find out where Logan was at. She was both happy and relieved to hear his status had been changed from critical, so they had moved him down a floor to a private room. They gave her the new room number. When she finally located him, Dick and Cassidy were there with him instead of Duncan. Logan looked tired but alert. She went to his side and leaned down to give him a soft kiss. "Are you feeling okay? I'm so glad you're out of ICU already. That's good news." she said.

He shrugged. Reached for the pad and scribbled her a note. _I'm in pain, but I can handle it. Not the first time I've hurt all over._

He gave her a rueful half smile when she read it. Veronica closed her eyes for a moment so that he would not see how that off-hand admittance hurt her to hear. "If it gets worse, let the nurse know. I don't want you to suffer more than you already have," she said.

"You can kiss and make it better, Ronnie. Don't mind us," Dick said with a smirk.

Veronica ignored him. "I went by your house. Unfortunately, it looked pretty bad. I don't think it's salvageable," she told Logan, who grimaced at the news.

"Casa de killer is dead? Is that like poetic justice or something?" Dick asked with a grin.

Logan glared at him. "It was Logan's house, too, Dick, so put a sock in it," Veronica said. "Has the doctor came by?"

"Yeah, how do you think he got out of ICU?" Dick said sarcastically. Veronica gave him a look that usually warned him she was not in the mood to put up with him. Dick grinned and continued, "The doctor said Logan could probably go home Monday if no infection sets in."

"That's good news," Veronica said, relieved.

"Where will you go?" Cassidy asked.

"Dude, you can stay with us. We got plenty of room," Dick offered.

"I'm not sure if that's a good idea. Dad's coming home Sunday. He's bringing his new girlfriend. I think this one is serious. Kendall used to be a L.A. Laker and has Dad panting like a..." Cassidy's voice trailed off in embarrassment when he realized Veronica was not the normal audience for the comment he was about to say.

Dick snickered. "We know what you mean, Beav. She's smokin' hot!" Dick exclaimed.

Veronica wished for the 100th time that she and her dad weren't living in their tiny apartment. Then she would feel comfortable offering a room for Logan. However, she knew that her dad wouldn't be okay with it, especially since all she could offer would be their couch. She changed the subject. "Well, I have news," she said. "Mac came through for me."

When Dick gave her a puzzled look, she explained, "I had Mac look into this fake witness that has suddenly come forward to say Logan stabbed Felix."

"That's a load of shit!" Dick protested angrily. His loyalty to his friends was probably the only thing about him that Veronica actually liked.

"What did Mac find out?" Cassidy asked, curious.

"She managed to find out the name of the witness. Tom Griffith. He's a plastic surgeon," Veronica said.

"How she find that out?" Dick asked.

"Let's just say that Mac is _very_ gifted," Veronica said proudly.

"She's wicked smart," Dick said happily. "But I'm not too sure about her taste in men since she's going out with this loser." He elbowed his brother with a grin. Cassidy rolled his eyes.

" _Anyway_ , she also managed to get access into his bank accounts and found a $20,000 deposit from a company that she tied to the Fitzpatricks," Veronica revealed.

"The Fitzpatricks?" Dick asked at the same time Cassidy said, "She hacked into financial records?" Dick was horrified while Cassidy was obviously awed by Mac's skill.

Logan looked very pleased at the news. He wrote a note on his pad. _Now we know who is really behind all this. Thumper was obviously paid to kill Felix._

Veronica nodded after she read the note and passed it to Dick. "Yes. Probably for two reasons. One, Felix's loyalty to Weevil is unwavering. Everyone knows that. If Thumper was pulling some of the PCHers into dealing for the Fitzpatricks, Felix would definitely have a problem with it, especially if he found out. Second, Felix was in love with Molly, their niece. From what I could tell, it's mutual. They'd hate that," Veronica theorized. Then she looked over at the Casablanca brothers. "You two breathe a word of this to _anyone_ , you'll live to regret it." She gave them a steely look of warning.

"Don't worry, Ronnie. I won't say anything to anyone but Duncan," Dick said.

"Don't say anything to _anyone_! If we want to tell Duncan anything, we'll do it ourselves. I don't want you spinning things and adding to it. Or worry about your loud mouth being overheard," Veronica said. She looked at Cassidy who raised his hands.

"Don't worry about me. I know how to keep my mouth shut," Cassidy assured her.

"So this is turning into a major suck job," Dick said. "The Fitzpatricks are some bad dudes. What are we going to do?"

"I'm working on some stuff," Veronica said.

"You should get at them where it hurts," Cassidy suggested.

All three of them turned to him in surprise. "What do you mean?" Veronica asked, interested.

"Their wallets. They run a business. My Dad has said many times that the bottom line is all that matters. Start messing with their bottom line, and they'll start to notice," he replied.

"Good idea," Veronica said, pleased.

Dick pounded his brother on the back. "Good thinkin', bro," Dick said.

"Since they own a bar, they need a lot of liquor. We could figure out a way to get their liquor license suspended or maybe find out who their supplier is and convince them not to be anymore," Cassidy added.

"Cassidy, I must say, your devious mind is starting to impress me," Veronica said in admiration.

"Dad'd be so proud!" Dick exclaimed.

Before they could go any further, they are interrupted by a visitor. "So this is where you're hiding at," a voice from behind them said. They turned to see a very satisfied Sheriff Don Lambs leaning in the doorway.

"No one's hiding. Logan just got downgraded from ICU," Veronica said in annoyance.

"Yes, I know," Don replied, obviously pleased by that news. "I came over as soon as I heard about his steady improvement."

"You forgot the flowers and balloons," Veronica said smartly.

"Well, don't worry, Mars, I didn't come empty-handed," he replied. He pulled out a piece of paper from inside his jacket and unfolded it. "I have for you, Logan Echolls, a warrant for your arrest for the murder of Felix Toombs."

Logan looked resigned while Veronica and his friends had varying degrees of surprise and outrage on their face as they looked at the Sheriff in dismay.

**** _More to Come****_

_ I hope you all had a great Christmas! Review if you enjoyed the update. Thanks so much! _


	20. An Unexpected Offer

_ *****Neptune Hospital Where We Left Off***** _

Veronica was flabbergasted. She gave Sheriff Lamb an incredulous look. "You want to arrest Logan _now_? Are you insane? He almost died!" Veronica yelled, anger at the pompous sheriff clouding her vision.

"Dude, so not cool! He's injured!" Dick protested.

"Yeah, my heart bleeds," the sheriff said sarcastically. "A witness has stepped forward that positively ID'd Logan as the man who stabbed Felix."

"Didn't another witness first step forward to tell you that Logan _didn't_? That he couldn't have and that it was for sure another gang member that stabbed Felix?" Veronica asked.

"How do you know about that?" Lamb asked, narrowing his eyes suspiciously.

"Who do you think tracked down the witness and convinced him to tell what he knew? It's called following the evidence. You should try it sometime," Veronica said smartly.

"So you and your boy-toy here bribed a witness to step forward, and you wonder why I chose to believe the testimony of a respected doctor?" Lamb replied snidely.

"A doctor that's in bed with the Fitzpatricks!" Dick protested.

Both Veronica and Lamb looked sharply at him. Veronica gave a slight shake of her head, warning him to be quiet. She'd handle Lamb.

"Maybe you should follow the money," Veronica said. "Any amateur knows that when you have a witness step forward to implicate a member of the PCH—a member, by the way, who is running drugs for the Fitzpatricks—and suddenly a witness comes out of nowhere just _now_ recalling that fateful night that something must be fishy about the entire thing. Doesn't that seem a bit too convenient? Are you really _that_ clueless?"

Lamb begun to get angry. "Listen, Mars, I don't need you to tell me how to run an investigation. I am far from being an amateur. Your own father taught me how to investigate in case you forgot," Lamb said.

"You are in no way a reflection of my father!" Veronica exclaimed, offended at the suggestion.

"Whatever," he replied in annoyance. "Look, I'm not out to get anybody, contrary to your wild beliefs. It's not my fault your boyfriend keeps having bad things happen to him. I didn't cause any of this. Every lead will be investigated, I assure you. Logan will get his day in court just like everyone else!" Lamb protested.

"So are you going to take him to jail now? He's hurt!" Dick asked, obviously upset at the thought.

"Of course, I'm not going to drag him out of the hospital. I'll just handcuff him to the bed," Lamb replied with a smirk.

"What? Over my dead body!" Veronica yelled. "Look at his hands! They're both bandaged!"

Lamb stepped closer to Logan's bed and really began to look at him. Logan held up his bandaged hands for Lamb. A slight wince of sympathy was momentarily on his face. Then it was gone so quickly that Logan thought he imagined it.

Lamb turned back from the bed and faced Veronica again. "Well, I'll just have a guard posted outside," he said. Then he looked back at Logan. "Your arraignment is Monday. If you're not out or not up to going, you can send your attorney," Lamb offered. Then he turned and left.

"I really and truly loathe that odious man!" Veronica exclaimed after he vacated the room.

"Yeah, we could tell," Logan said with a grin. "You are really cute when you're angry on my behalf."

Veronica walked to the side of his bed and moved to grab his hand then remembered she couldn't. She settled for leaning in and giving him a light kiss. "As my favorite slayer once said, 'Nobody messes with my boyfriend!'" she said grinning.

Dick looked confused. "Slayer?" he asked perplexed.

"From TV. Buffy the Vampire Slayer," Cassidy explained.

"Oh, yeah. She's hot!" Dick added with a grin.

"Not as hot as Willow. Brains _and_ beauty," Cassidy remarked.

"A tiny, snarky crime fighting blonde? Sounds familiar," Logan said, giving Veronica a smirk. Then he added, "But she was too good. I like Faith. Until she was insane, of course. Dangerous and sexy. Impulsive. My kind of girl!"

Veronica looked offended. "Faith's impulses got her in trouble all the time! Just like someone else I know!" she insisted, giving him a pointed look.

Logan laughed. "Don't worry! I've lost my taste for bad girls. I like the good ones who aren't afraid to be a little bad," he assured her.

Cassidy grinned at their by-play and nudged his brother. "We should get going. Leave Veronica here to console Logan to his fate," Cassidy said.

Dick grinned and said goodbye. On the way out the door, they overheard him tell his brother, "We gotta go home anyway, so you can prepare for your big date!"

Logan looked quizzically at Veronica. "Beaver's got a hot date? With whom?" Logan asked.

"Who do you think? Mac," she shared.

"Really? That's interesting," Logan said. Then he thought of Beaver's remark about Willow and grinned. "I can see that."

"Maybe. He seems sweet and obviously he got all the brains in the family," Veronica said. Then she got serious. "So do you want me to call your lawyer?"

Logan shrugged, not really caring. "I don't care. You can call your lawyer friend," he suggested.

"Cliff? I don't think he'd be a good choice. He handles small crime stuff. Not really murder charges," Veronica explained. "We should get the lawyer that managed to get the charges dropped originally. With what we know, your defense should be much easier. He's already familiar with your case."

"Okay, whatever you think," Logan said tiredly. He closed his eyes.

Veronica could tell he was both tired and in pain. "Are you hurting?" she asked in concern.

"Yes, but it's amazing what you can get used to," he replied.

"I'm going to let you rest. I'll come back this evening. I will contact your attorney," Veronica told him. She kissed his forehead and left. Out in the hall, she found his nurse. "Is Logan going to be okay? He's in pain."

The nurse looked sympathetic. "I know. Burns are very painful. He's got 1st and 2nd degree burns. His back with be a problem for some time. Whatever fell on him really did a number," she said to Veronica. "But it could've been a lot worse. His hands will heal without any scarring. He'll have scarring on his back, but it'll be isolated. And it's the back, so he can hide it."

Veronica didn't know if that was supposed to reassure her or not. "Can you go check on him? He is the strong silent type. His dad is an abusive ass, so he's learned to suffer in silence," she shared.

The nurse nodded in understanding and left to do just that.

Veronica watched her go into Logan's room. She was worried but knew they're wasn't really anything she could do for him now. She got in the elevator feeling tired and frustrated. Then she remembered that there was one way she could help Logan—prove he was innocent.

****** _Sunday Afternoon_ ******

Logan woke up from his nap with a wince and a groan. Although his hands barely hurt him unless the nurse was cleaning them, he had rolled flat onto his back when he was asleep. The pain in his back brought back those fun-filled times with dear old dad. _"You'd think the nerves in my back would be dead by now,"_ he thought.

He gingerly eased his body up and reached for the bed controls to maneuver it upward. Then he reached for the call button. Since his hands were still wrapped, he had the nurse put the button by his knee, so he could still hit it. A minute or two later a nurse popped in asking him what he needed. He had her move the table over the bed so that he could reach the water. Since he couldn't use his fingers to grasp things, he had to use both hands to grab things. He was thirsty. The pain medicine they were giving him seemed to give him a perpetual cotton mouth. He took a big drink, quenching his thirst. Then he sat back and thought about what had happened since he woke up here two days ago.

Veronica's dad had surprised him by coming to see him a few hours after Veronica had left on Friday. Keith had expressed sympathy about his bad luck and had asked him if he had a place to go when he was released on Monday. Logan gave him a careless shrug and told him that he'd probably stay with Dick or check into a hotel. Keith had pointed out that he'd need someone to help him until the bandages were off his hands. How much help would Dick really be? Logan could tell that Keith was struggling with the idea of offering their couch for Logan, but he wasn't comfortable with it. Logan was both touched and surprised to realize that Keith genuinely wanted to help him. He assured Keith that he'd work it out and for him not to worry. He could afford to hire a nurse. Naturally, Keith had to show his paternal instincts even more when he cautioned Logan against getting payback over what had happened between him and the PCHers. Logan had been surprised at the suggestion because, frankly, the thought hadn't occurred to him. Mainly because he knew that Weevil hadn't been behind it and that the PCHers were divided and being led by a real killer now. Not even Logan was foolish enough to take things further, especially when he had his own criminal murder charges to deal with.

Logan sighed in annoyance just thinking about it. His attorney had assured him that he wouldn't get sent to jail. He had told Logan that he was confident that he could get him out on bail. Logan couldn't imagine going to jail with all the bandages he had to deal with. Not for the first time, he said a silent prayer that Luis would talk to his attorney. His attorney had been excited to hear about the new witness he and Veronica had found. And hearing about the shady connection to organized crime that the witness the D.A. was using made his attorney practically giddy. Logan had been relieved to see the confidence his attorney had in his case. However, Logan was not going to depend on his attorneys to keep him out of jail. He would bet on Veronica over an entire office of attorneys. She had solved Lilly's murder, proving how truly skilled she was. Not to mention showing up the entire Neptune Sheriff Department.

Thinking about his girlfriend always put him in a better mood, so he had a smile on his face when he got two surprising visitors. It was Weevil and his grandmother, Mrs. Navarro.

She gasped in dismay when she saw the bandages and his still battered face. "Pobre niño ( _you poor boy_ )!" she exclaimed as they made it to his bed side. "Are you in much pain?"

"I'm okay. My back was pierced with something that caused both 1st and 2nd degree burns and a somewhat painful injury. That's the worst," he whispered. His voice was stronger, but he still couldn't talk normally. The nurses didn't want him to talk at all, but he hated using the notebook. If he kept it at a whisper, his throat didn't ache.

"Your voice is gone, too?" Weevil asked in surprise.

"Smoke damage and the tube they stuck down my throat," he replied.

Weevil surprised him by looking sympathetic. Logan examined Weevil closely, noticing that he looked a bit worse for wear himself. He was sporting some ugly facial bruising. "How about you?" Logan asked him.

"Mi nieto's ( _my grandson's_ ) bad friends hurt him, too. He tells me that they're the ones who burnt down your house. Lo siento ( _I'm sorry_ ). This should not have happened. Eli wants to say something to you," she said to Logan. She gave Weevil a stern look and crossed her arms expectantly.

"I'm really sorry my gang attacked you and burned down your house," Weevil mumbled, clearly embarrassed and uncomfortable.

Logan couldn't help but grin at his nemesis' discomfort. Then he lost his smile and looked intently at Weevil before replying. "Not your fault. You saved me. Thanks. I owe you," he whispered. He held Weevil's gaze until Weevil nodded, indicating that he accepted the thanks.

"I can't believe things went down the way they did. It wasn't supposed to happen like that. From what Hector can figure, one of the guys was at the station when Luis went in and gave his testimony. The guy told Thumper, which gave him a heads up. And you know the rest," Weevil explained.

Logan nodded.

Mrs. Navarro said, "I told you a thousand times no good would come of you running around with those boys. But you no listen to me! Now you have to. Poor Mr. Logan has no home. No family. All his momma's beautiful things are burnt up! I hope you're happy!" Her displeasure in Weevil was obvious.

Logan was touched by her concern. She had always been good to him—much more so than he deserved. He wanted to alleviate her worry. "I still have a lot of mom's stuff in storage. Dad packed up her stuff from the L.A. house and had it stored, so it's okay," Logan said.

"When do you get out?" Weevil asked.

"Tomorrow," Logan answered. "I guess Veronica told you about my arraignment and the new charges?"

Weevil nodded. Mrs. Navarro made a tsking sound. "What is the Sheriff thinking? How could he try to put you in jail? My grandson tells me it was that no good Thumper that killed our dear Felix. I'm no surprised. Thumper always was a sneaky one. Even as a child," she said with a disgusted sniff.

"Are you going to go?" Weevil inquired.

"No. My lawyer says I can be excused due to my medical condition. The arraignment is at 9, and I can't be released until the doctor checks me out. It will probably be close to noon before I can go," Logan explained.

"Where will you go?" Mrs. Navarro asked. "Will your sister come to take care of you?"

Logan laughed at the suggestion. "My sister can barely take care of herself. She did send me some flowers," Logan said, pointing to a big display with a Get Well balloon. "And she actually called me. That was more than I expected."

Mrs. Navarro looked upset. Weevil shook his head in disgust. "You rich, white folks sure don't know how to be a family, do you?" he asked.

Logan just shrugged. What could he say? He knew very few families that weren't screwed up in some way. It wasn't just systematic of the wealthy, however. Even Veronica had a drunk mother who abandoned her.

"You will come home with us!" Mrs. Navarro suddenly announced. Both Logan and Weevil gaped at her. "You need family. We will take care of you. Won't we Weevil?"

Weevil opened his mouth to protest, but his grandmother was giving him that look. The look he learned at an early age meant no argument or he'd regret it. "Sure. There's always room now that Chardo is gone," Weevil said.

Logan's face darkened at the reminder of the cousin who had been sleeping with Caitlin while they were together. Weevil couldn't completely hide his smile as he read Logan's mind.

"No, I couldn't impose," Logan said.

"Nonsense! I have raised five boys and one daughter and five grandchildren. You will be fine at our house," she insisted.

"I appreciate the offer, Mrs. Navarro, but I'll be fine," Logan said, unsure of how to handle her.

"You come stay with us. Then you can call me grandma Letty. Your mother was always kind to me. Every year she give me a nice Christmas bonus, and never yelled at me like so many rich bosses do to their housekeepers. She treat me with respect. We will come back tomorrow at noon to pick you up. I can help you with your bandages," she said. She gave him a soft look. "I know staying with us won't be what you're used to, but you'll adjust. I wouldn't be able to face my priest if I let you go stay with one of your wild friends or stay all by yourself. Your momma would've never have left you if she'd known what bad things would happen to you."

"If she cared," Logan said bitterly, unable to stop the words.

"Of course, she cared! You were all she cared about. She wasn't well. That bad man, your father..." she stopped to cross herself, "he was so mean. Your momma was sweet and kind like an angel. Angels can't stay in this world if they are abused. I know she's looking down and watching you. She'd want you to stay with me, so it's settled."

Logan's protests died an instant death at her final words. Thoughts of his mother wasn't something he could entertain very often. The pain and betrayal of her death and abandonment never completely left. Rage and hatred for his father always warred with anger and grief at her loss. He would never understand how she could've left him alone with his monster of a father. Hearing Mrs. Navarro refer to his mother as an angel touched him. He wanted to cry and had to force back the tears that threatened. No way would he break down in front of Weevil. He'd never live it down.

He finally nodded and whispered, "Thank you."

Mrs. Navarro gave him a happy smile and leaned down to kiss his forehead. "Get some rest. Tomorrow I cook you a good dinner that will make you strong!" she said happily. "Come, Eli." She turned to leave, clearly expecting her grandson to follow.

Weevil gave him a final wave and nod before turning to follow after her.

Logan didn't know how he'd deal with staying with Weevil's family. However, he didn't know how to refuse such kindness. He hadn't been on the receiving end of much kindness in his short life. Nor had he ever had a grandmother fuss over him. He grinned thinking about the look on Veronica's face when he told her his new plans. She was hard to surprise. For once, he didn't think she'd see this coming!

_ *****More To Come****** _

_Did that surprise you? It did me when I first wrote it! Thanks for reading. Comments are much appreciated._


	21. Logan's New Home

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> I wanted to address a reader's question about Logan being tried twice on the show and if it was double jeopardy. Actually, what had happened was that they decided there hadn't been enough evidence to try him. He was never acquitted but the charges were thrown out due to lack of evidence. So when a new witness had came forward, that allowed the D.A. to formally file charges again because there was new evidence. If he had been tried and acquitted, they could not have charged him with anything because that would have been double jeopardy. Plus a trial would've taken much longer like with Aaron. Trial dates are usually a year or so after initial arrest. First, a discovery hearing is scheduled. That's where the prosecution lays out their evidence and the defense tries to discredit it and get the charges thrown out. I don't think that Logan went past that point.

*** _**Monday at Mac's_ ******

Mac woke up Monday morning to the sound of her phone receiving a text message. She reached over and grabbed it off her night stand. She rubbed the sleep from her eyes and then squinted to read the text. She grinned and then rolled her eyes as she read the message. It was from Dick. It said: _Beaver and Mackie sitting in a tree. K-I-S-S-I-N-G._ A minute later he sent another one. _First comes luv. Then comes marriage. Then comes a baby in a baby carriage!_ She was thinking of how to reply when it vibrated again with yet another message. _You gotta name your firstborn after me!_ She had to laugh at that. Dick was incorrigible but so silly that she couldn't take him seriously. Mac grinned as she thought of a reply and sent a response. _Little Dick? We can call him L.D. for short._ As expected Dick sent an angry face icon with his response. _Nothing little about my dick!_ She couldn't resist typing back. _Oh, I guess the writing on the girls' bathroom at school has it wrong._ Mac knew that would drive him crazy. He'd obsess about it all day. He'd probably go into every girls' bathroom before his summer classes were out for the day. Mac ignored his reply, knowing that'd make him even crazier.

Chuckling, she got out of her bed. Dick was often a sexist pig who loved to objectify women, but the more time she spent with him the more she realized he was mostly just a big goof. When she had arrived Friday evening to pick up Cassidy, Dick had greeted her at the door with a big grin. From the noise the two brothers made before he opened it, Mac could tell they had raced to the door. Dick had won and shoved his little brother out of the way. Cassidy was picking himself up off the floor when Dick opened the door. Mac didn't laugh, but she couldn't hide her smile.

"Forgive my ill-mannered brother," Cassidy said as he got up from the floor.

"Who you calling ill-mannered? I'm politely getting the door for your date!" Dick insisted. "Won't you come in?" Dick asked in a false falsetto, causing Mac to giggle as she stepped in the doorway.

Cassidy and Mac exchanged shy smiles and greetings. Dick watched them both with unabashed interest. Then he decided to give them a break. "You kids don't do anything I wouldn't do. Since that doesn't leave out much, you should have an excellent time!" he said with a knowing smirk. Then he grabbed his keys and left. He was going to go see Logan at the hospital.

Mac and Cassidy had had a good first date. There hadn't been fireworks but just enough tingles to keep Mac from freaking out. Cassidy was sweet and smart and very witty. He had given her a tour of his house, ending with his room. They had planned on going out, but when Mac got a look at Cassidy's gaming system she had been really excited. Although she'd been in there once before, she never felt the freedom to really look around. He had pretty much everything she'd ever wanted when it came to a gaming system. Since Dick had left and they had the place to themselves, they had agreed to order pizza and stay there and play some very cool games. Mac had really enjoyed herself. Cassidy hadn't tried to kiss her, but Mac was kind of glad. She was still really nervous about those things. She had went over there yesterday afternoon to research with Cassidy about the possible liquor suppliers that the Fitzpatricks had. They nailed it down to two suppliers then Dick had joined them. The three of them got sucked into a game of Modern Warfare. The brothers had been very surprised that Mac was adept at a military war game. Military games were the main games her dad would play with her when she was younger. First, it had been Risk and Battleship. Then when she'd gotten into video games her dad had bought her Doom, and she'd loved it. The three of them had had a good time.

After Mac had taken a shower and eaten breakfast, her doorbell rang. She opened it and found that it was Veronica.

"Sorry to just drop on by. But I wanted to go over what you and Cassidy found out and brainstorm our next move before I go to the hospital to see Logan," Veronica said.

"It's no problem. You're always welcome. I thought Logan was getting out today?" Mac asked.

"He is. I wanted to see him before he left. Give him a ride," she replied.

"Where's he going? Are you going to play Nurse Nightingale to him?" Mac asked with a grin.

"He wishes!" Veronica exclaimed with a laugh. "If our place was bigger, I'd try to talk dad into bringing him home. But our apartment is so tiny, and I know Dad would not like the idea of me playing nursemaid even if Logan hired an actual nurse."

"So where's he going? Mr. Casablanca arrived home yesterday afternoon when I was over there and brought his new very young and very beautiful girlfriend. I wouldn't want my boyfriend being tended by a girl like that. Wait 'til you see her," Mac said.

"Well, he's not going to Dick's. He told me that he'd tell me his arrangements when he saw me," Veronica said. "So Dick Sr. brought home his new woman to meet his sons? He must be pretty serious about this one."

"I think he is. Dick kept making cracks about mommy number three. It upset Cassidy, so I made him stop. I didn't hang around long after they arrived because it was kind of awkward. She was gushing over everything and was so obviously fake, but their dad just ate it up!" Mac shared.

"Don't think I didn't pick up on the little tid-bit about Dick doing what you told him to do," Veronica teased with a sly smile. "You seem to have both these Casablancas brothers well in hand."

Mac blushed. "Okay, that's enough about me. How about we talk about what you came here to find out? The Fitzpatricks," Mac said pointedly.

Veronica grinned and sat down on her couch. "Fine. If we must. What did you find out?"

"It looks like the Fitzpatricks have two main suppliers. Billyn Inc. and the Park Brothers Brewery. The good thing is we discovered that Jake Kane is the main stock holder with Park Brothers. So we should get Logan to talk to Jake or just talk to Duncan yourself," Mac said.

"That's excellent news. Jake has always liked Logan, but things haven't been the same since it was revealed that Aaron killed Lilly. However, Duncan should be able to help us. That's a good start. Any new information about the good doctor?" Veronica asked.

"Good doctor?" Mac asked, puzzled.

"Dr. Griffith?" Veronica prodded.

"Oh, yeah. Right. Well, we discovered that he has a daughter that will be a sophomore next year at Neptune High. She made the cheerleading squad. You should ask Meg about her. Her name is Hannah," Mac said.

"Good. That's good. We can get to know her and possibly gain some access to her dad. Find out if he's being forced to help the Fitzpatricks or if he's being blackmailed or threatened in some way," Veronica said.

"You think he might be?" Mac asked.

"With the Fitzpatricks, you can never be sure. Dad always hated that he never got enough dirt on them to shut them down before he was ran out of office," Veronica shared.

"I'll keep checking into the other company-Billyn Inc. and see if we can find an angle with them," Mac said.

"Good. I better get going, so I can see Logan and make sure he really has someone to help take care of him. He better not be checking into the Neptune Grand," Veronica said.

"I'll call you later," Mac said.

"Do, so you can tell me all about your two dates with Cassidy or should I say one date with Cassidy and another with him _and_ his brother!" Veronica said with a grin.

Mac gasped in outrage while Veronica laughed and ran to the front door. She waved goodbye before Mac could sputter out a reply.

*****Neptune Hospital*****

Logan was so ready to leave the hospital. He'd only been here a few days, but it felt more like a few weeks. He wasn't sure going home with Weevil would be an improvement, but Mrs. Navarro was someone he had known for years.

Veronica came into his room. Logan smiled. "I was getting lonely. The nurses won't even sexually harass me. Am I losing my boyish good looks already?" he asked, batting his eyelashes.

Veronica laughed and kissed him. "Your voice is stronger today. I think the hoarseness is kind of sexy," Veronica said.

"Glad one of us likes it," Logan said glumly.

"So has the doctor been by? What did he say?" Veronica asked.

"He said there was no infection, which I guess was something he was worried about. He said my back will be a concern for at least another week, so I have to make sure it's cleaned and medicated every day. He wants to see me in a week to make sure everything's okay," Logan shared.

"That's good. Did you call a nurse service or something? You can't reach your own back. I don't mind helping sometimes, but I may not always be able to," Veronica said.

"I'd rather you work on my front anyway," Logan said with a leer.

Veronica rolled her eyes. "So where are you going? No, wait. How did the arraignment go? Has your lawyer called," Veronica asked.

"Yep. Like most things in my life, it didn't go that well. The D.A. convinced the judge I was a flight risk. He wanted me to go to jail until the trial," Logan said in annoyance.

"What?" Veronica asked, getting up from the chair by his bedside. "That's insane!"

"That's what my lawyer argued. He got the judge to agree to house arrest," Logan said glumly.

Veronica slowly sat back down. "House arrest? You mean you'll have to wear an ankle monitor?" Veronica asked.

"Yes," Logan replied.

"But you don't even have a house to be confined to. It burnt to the ground!" Veronica protested.

"I know. It's not like I can forget that particular fact, but my lawyer told the judge I'd be staying with a responsible adult who had lots of experience dealing with wayward teens," Logan said. "Lamb will send over a deputy to my new address this afternoon."

"I can't believe they're going to make you wear an ankle monitor! That's such bullshit!" Veronica fumed. Then she narrowed her eyes. "So where exactly is this new address of yours? Who's this responsible adult that will be your new guardian?"

"Guardian? I don't know about that. I filed for emancipation when Dad was arrested. Since I'm seventeen and have plenty of money, there was no reason for the judge to deny my request. So legally speaking, I don't need adult supervision. But my lawyer said the fact that I had a quote "good" home to go to is probably why the judge agreed to house arrest. It seems the fact that my dad is a murderer and I have access to all his money makes me both a threat and a flight risk," Logan told her.

Veronica looked offended at the suggestion. "Innocent people don't run. You have nothing to run from because you did NOT kill Felix, and we're going to prove it," Veronica said. Then she told him what inroads Mac had made. "I'll go see Duncan today and see if he can get his dad to help us."

"Good news, finally!" Logan said.

"Knock, knock!" a voice said from the doorway. They turned to see Weevil at the doorway.

"Hey, Weevil!" Veronica said with a smile.

"Hey, V. How's it going?" he asked as he entered the room.

"Okay. How are you? Any problems with your boys?" she asked.

"I think it's safe to say they're not my boys anymore. Hector's been ostracized for taking up for me, so none of my other so-called friends are talking to me," Weevil said with obvious disgust.

"I can see how you'd be all broken up to lose such awesome friends," Logan said sarcastically.

Weevil gave him a glare. "So are you ready to go or what? My grandmother has been cooking all morning," Weevil said.

"Yes, I'm ready," Logan said. "The nurse will wheel me out. Go tell her."

"I'll go tell her that I'm going to wheel you out. I can see how that could potentially be fun for me!" Weevil said with a gleeful smirk. He turned and left.

Veronica gave Logan a quizzical look. "Okay, what's going on? Why is Weevil here to pick you up and why is the fact that his grandmother has been cooking all day relevant to you?" Veronica asked.

Logan grinned. "Mrs. Navarro and Weevil came to see me yesterday. She made Weevil apologize to me and then when she found out Trina wasn't going to come take care of me, she insisted I come home with her and Weevil," Logan shared.

"Really? Weevil apologized?" Veronica asked a look of stunned amazement on her face. "And you agreed to go?"

Logan shrugged. "Yes, Weevil really did. It was quite entertaining. I'm sorry you missed it!" he said.

"Me, too," Veronica said. She still couldn't take it in. "So you are leaving here and going to go stay with Weevil and his family? Are you sure about that? Because with the house arrest thing now you won't be able to leave if you want. You'll have to actually deal with Weevil."

"I know, but I already told his grandmother yes. Now I'm stuck," Logan said with resignation. "Mrs. Navarro went on and on about my mom being an angel and how she'd want me to stay with her. How could I say no?"

Veronica gave him a soft look. She knew how much the loss of his mother hurt him. She also knew that he was powerless to deny anyone who invoked her name or said good things about her. He'd always had a soft spot for Weevil's grandmother no matter how ugly things had gotten between them. When his parents have fired her over the credit card fraud Caitlin Ford and perpetuated, Logan had made sure she got her job back when the truth was revealed. Not a lot of 09ers would have hired back the person they'd falsely accused. Most would've been too embarrassed.

"I think staying with Weevil's grandmother is a wonderful idea. You've never had any real sense of family. Your parents traveled too much, and your dad was not the kind of father you deserved. I know you miss your mom, so this could be a great thing," Veronica said. Then she wagged her finger at him. "But you better play nice with Weevil."

Weevil came him and heard that last comment. "That's right. You tell him. He better play nice," Weevil said. He had the wheelchair. "The nurse said I could wheel you down, but she had to accompany us. So climb aboard!" Weevil ordered.

Logan wanted to protest but decided saving his life gave Weevil just a little bit of leeway.

As they walked down, Weevil said, "V, I hope you are free for lunch because my grandmother specifically told me to invite you. She wants Logan to feel comfortable, and she's always liked you ever since you exposed Chardo's deceit."

"Yes, you should come. Please," Logan said, his eyes begging her.

Veronica smiled. "Sure. I can talk to Duncan later," she said. "I'll give you an update on what Mac found out on the way down."

***** _An Hour Later_ *****

Logan felt like a fish out of water sitting at the Navarro's dinner table. There was so many people, and they talked all at once, switching back and forth from English to Spanish. Logan knew quite a bit of Spanish due to all his trips to Mexico. However, they talked so fast it wasn't easy to keep up. Veronica didn't even try. She just watched the interaction with a smile.

"You didn't eat enough, Logan!" Mrs. Navarro said, looking at his still full plate with disappointment.

"My appetite hasn't quite come back. But it's all great. Thanks," Logan said. "I really appreciate this, Mrs. Navarro."

"Please, call me, Grandma Letty. You part of mi familia now," she said with a warm smile.

Logan looked uncomfortable, but Veronica was happy. She knew that this would be a good thing for Logan. He needed fussing over. She glanced over at Weevil. Weevil wasn't very comfortable having them in his home. She could tell. He and Logan had a lot of baggage between them. However, they had a lot in common, too. Both had loved Lilly. Both were natural born leaders and very protective and loyal.

"So do you want me to come take you shopping tomorrow? You don't have any clothes or anything," Veronica said.

"I can't go shopping. Remember? I won't be able to leave the house," Logan said dejectedly.

"That blows," Weevil said.

"I can go shopping for you. You just need to make a list of all you need," Veronica offered.

"I'll give you my card. That'll be great. Thanks," Logan said. He leaned over and kissed her.

"None of that! I'm eating here!" Weevil said in disgust.

Logan smirked. "Better get used to it," Logan said to Weevil. Then he turned back to Veronica. "I can always order stuff online, too."

"We don't have a computer," Weevil said.

Logan looked stunned. Who didn't have a computer in this day and age? He looked to Veronica for help.

"I will pick you up a laptop. I'm sure Mrs. Navarro won't care if you get internet," Veronica said.

"She keeps saying we will when I make the honor roll, but since that never happened..." Weevil said with a shrug.

"Get a desktop, too. That way everyone can use it," Logan offered.

Weevil was surprised by his generosity but declined to comment. If he wanted to waste his money, it was no concern of Weevil's.

"Eli, go show Logan his room and the rest of the house," his grandmother ordered as she began clearing the plates. Various cousins got up to help.

They got up from the table. Weevil's adorable youngest brother Tony stared wide-eyed at them. He followed them. "How old are your brothers, Weevil?" Veronica asked.

"Tony here is six. Jordan is ten. He's a little hellion," Weevil said.

"And your parents?" Veronica asked.

"My mom died when I was five. My grandmother raised me. Jordan and Tony are my half-brothers. Their mother ran off with some loser a few years ago. She was kind of a flake," Weevil said.

"I know a thing or two about flaky moms," Veronica said dryly. Weevil gave her a look of understanding.

"Parents can really suck," Logan agreed.

"Not my dad," Veronica said proudly. Logan and Weevil shared a look of mutual understanding. They both feared and admired Veronica's dad, so what could they say?

"So my room is here," Weevil said, pointing to a door. "Across from me is where my brothers stay. Grandmother's room is on the other side of the house next to the kitchen. She says she doesn't want us waking her up with all our boy noise. So that leaves Chardo's old room for you. It's next to mine." He opened the door. "We'll have to share a bathroom. Grandma has her own."

The room was about the size of Veronica's, which made it basically the size of Logan's closet back in his own home. "Nice," Logan said politely.

Of course, Weevil took offense. "Sorry, it's not up to your normal 09er standard. You didn't have to say yes to my grandmother, you know. Now with the house arrest you're stuck here, and we're stuck with you!" he exclaimed in annoyance.

"Refusing your grandmother isn't easy. She invoked my dead mother. What was I supposed to say?" Logan replied heatedly.

Veronica stepped between them. "Hey now. You both need to calm down. Weevil, this room is fine. Yes, Logan will have to adjust to having less space, freedom, and privacy, but he'll survive. Since all his stuff was destroyed, he won't need much room anyway," Veronica reminded them.

Logan winced. "Thanks for rubbing it in!"

"I'm sorry, but it's true. This will take a lot of patience on both your parts. Weevil, Logan has basically lived like an only child. He has a sister, but she's been out of Neptune for awhile. His parents often left him alone for weeks at a time. So having a family around will take some getting used to," Veronica said. Then she looked at Logan. "Logan, you and Weevil have been more enemies than friends, so this will take a lot of humility and patience on your part. Don't be an arrogant ass."

"I think you're asking for too much there, V," Weevil said with a snicker.

They were interrupted by a doorbell. Veronica looked out the window. A patrol car was out front. "It's for you, Logan. The Sheriff," Veronica said.

They filed into the living room to see Sheriff Lamb talking with Mrs. Navarro. When he saw Veronica and Logan, he grinned. "I had to come see this for myself. I didn't believe Sacks when he told me that Logan was staying here. It's not even my birthday," Don said gleefully.

"Screw you!" Logan said in annoyance.

"Logan! Such rudeness! That will not be allowed in my house!" Mrs. Navarro admonished. "You will show the Sheriff the respect his position deserves."

Lamb grinned arrogantly, clearly enjoying himself. "That's right. Show me some respect!"

Logan looked frustrated, but maintained a sullen silence. Another deputy came in. He handed something to Don. "Okay, Logan here's how this will work. This will go on your ankle. It can get wet but not submerged in water, which means a shower is okay but not a bath. The boundaries will be to the front gate of Mrs. Navarro's house. When you cross the boundary, this will beep. You will get two minutes to go back in the yard. If not, we will be forced to come here and throw you in jail, revoking your bail. And it would be too bad if you had to give up your new digs for a place in my jail," Lamb said with a smirk. He gave the monitor to his deputy again who then got down and fastened it around Logan's left leg. It fit like an arm band.

Logan grimaced at the confinement but resigned himself to it. It was better than jail. Hopefully, he wouldn't have to wear it but for a few weeks.

Weevil walked over to him and put his arm around his shoulder. "Welcome to the family, Logan," he said grinning.

Logan mentally groaned. What had he agreed to?

** _***Chapter End*****_

_ I hope you are enjoying this story! Leave a comment or a kudo if you haven't. Thanks! _


	22. Adjusting

**** _*Two Days Later*_ ****

Veronica had talked to both Meg and Duncan. Duncan agreed to talk to his dad, and Meg said that she did know Hannah. They kept up cheerleading practice at least once a week before cheer camp in August. Usually practice was on Wednesday, so Veronica and Wallace met at the school Wednesday afternoon. Veronica wanted to meet Hannah. She figured Wallace's charm and sweet nature would put the girl at ease. She also needed to get the rest of Logan's summer schoolwork. Next week was the last week of class before summer school finals. The teachers had agreed to administer Logan's tests at the house if he was still on house arrest. The hearing was scheduled for Monday, so they were still hoping his lawyers could get the charges thrown out again. Luis agreed to testify. He was pissed that the Sheriff had dismissed his testimony so easily. The bank statements tying Griffith to the Fitzpatricks were also damning. However, they needed something connecting Thumper to the Fitzpatricks.

"So Weevil told me and Logan that church was the only connection he could find between Thumper and Liam," Veronica told Wallace while they were waiting for Meg.

"Huh? Church?" Wallace asked confused.

"Yep. Turns out most of the PCHers go to the same Catholic Church as the Fitzpatricks. Liam's younger brother is the priest," Veronica said. "He's the good brother."

"A Fitzpatricks as a priest? Is that even allowed?" Wallace asked doubtfully.

"Guess the Archbishop didn't get the memo," Veronica replied. "Anyway, Hector and Weevil and Weevil's grandmother have observed Thumper going to confession twice a week, which is odd. What's even odder is that Liam is going to confession the same day."

"Coincidence?" Wallace asked.

"I don't think so," Veronica asked. "Logan and Weevil are trying to convince me to bug the confessional."

Wallace looked shocked. "Really? Are you going to do it? Won't that get you sent straight to hell?"

"Probably. But they won't let up. The two of them rarely agree on anything, so it's hard to resist them both," Veronica said.

"How's that going anyway? I still can't believe that Logan is living at Weevil's! What I wouldn't give to be a fly on the wall in that house!" Wallace said with a grin.

"It's going okay. They swipe at each other like two old dogs, but there's not much heat anymore. Weevil did lose all his friends standing up for Logan and saved Logan's life. Logan knows he owes Weevil a lot," Veronica pointed out.

"I still can't believe all that went down. It's like the world's been turned upside down or something," Wallace said.

"Logan won't admit it, but I know he is enjoying having Mrs. Navarro fussing over him. She coddles him and yells at Weevil if Weevil gives him a hard time. Logan gets a big kick out of watching Weevil squirm and submit to his grandma," Veronica shared, grinning.

Wallace laughed. Then he pointed. "Here comes Meg. That cute little blonde with her must be Hannah. Sometimes, I like being your sidekick," Wallace said eagerly.

Veronica gave him a fond smile and waved at Meg. She waved back and walked toward them. "Hey guys. What are you doing here?" Meg asked. Of course, she knew, but she was playing along.

"We came to get Logan's homework," Veronica said. "Who's your friend?"

"This is Hannah. She is new to our squad. She's a sophomore—or will be when school starts back for the year. Hannah, this is Wallace Fennel and Veronica Mars, friends of mine," Meg said.

Hannah gave them a shy smile and said hello.

"Wallace is on the basketball team, so we'll be cheering for him at his games," Meg said.

"Really? That's great. I enjoy basketball better than football. It's hard to tell who's playing in a football game," Hannah confessed.

Wallace laughed. "True. Basketball is much cooler," Wallace said.

"Especially since it's indoors and in air conditioning," Veronica add dryly.

"So are you guys done for the day? Want to go get a drink or something?" Wallace asked.

"Sure. I just have to call my dad and let him know," Hannah said.

"We can take you home," Veronica offered.

Hannah smiled happily and stepped away to make a call.

"This is going perfectly. Thanks, Meg," Veronica whispered.

"No problem. Hannah's really sweet. I can't imagine her dad being a willing participant in such a plot," Meg said back.

"I hope that's the case. It'll make this easier," Veronica replied. Hannah joined them again, and they all left together to get better acquainted.

Coming out of one of the buildings was Dick. He saw Veronica leave with Meg, Wallace, and some girl. He was curious, but he had to wait for his lame-ass brother. Beaver came around the corner. "Finally! It's about time!" Dick exclaimed impatiently.

"You've been waiting a whole two minutes. Big whoop," Cassidy said.

"I just saw Ronnie leaving with her sidekick and Meg and some new girl. What's going on?" Dick asked.

Cassidy knew, but he didn't think his brother could keep his big mouth shut, so he just shrugged. "Beats me," he said.

"Doesn't your girlfriend talk to you? What's the latest?" Dick asked.

"I'm not sure. They are investigating the doctor who gave the false testimony. We found the liquor suppliers that the Fitzpatricks use. Duncan is going to get his dad to help since he owns some of one of the companies," Cassidy shared, figuring it was okay to give him some information without talking about Hannah specifically. "And by the way, Mac is hardly my girlfriend. We've hung out a few times."

"For you, that qualifies as a girlfriend," Dick said with a smirk.

"Whatever," Cassidy replied, knowing it was pointless to argue with him.

"Can you believe that Logan is staying in that dump with Weevil? Things are really whack!" Dick exclaimed.

"I wouldn't go saying that around Weevil. He's liable to rip your head off," Cassidy said as they made their way to his truck.

"He doesn't have any of his loser friends backing him up anymore, so I'm not afraid of him," Dick boasted.

"He saved Logan's life, remember? His grandma took Logan in, so you should probably be nice," Cassidy advised.

Dick's brows furrowed for a moment while he thought about that. "You're right. It's all mixed up. First, we hate Ronnie. Now we love Ronnie. Then Weevil's the enemy, and now he's not. My head hurts! Let's talk about something else. When's your driving test?" Dick asked.

"Friday morning," Cassidy replied.

"You better pass it this time. Mac driving you around all the time is so lame. Speaking of Mac, have you kissed her yet?" Dick asked with a grin.

Cassidy squirmed in embarrassment. "None of your business!" he replied.

"I'll take that as a no. What are you waiting for? She's cute and obviously into you. Just make it happen already before she thinks you only want to be friends. If you get stuck in friend mode, it's the kiss of death," Dick advised.

Cassidy thought about it. He really liked Mac and was very comfortable with her. She was so easy to be with. She wasn't like other girls because she didn't make him feel stupid or less. He sighed. Why did things always have to get complicated?

***** _The Navarro's**_ ***

Weevil banged on the bathroom door. "Come on already, Echolls! What are you doing in there?" he demanded.

Logan opened the door. "Is it time for your weekly shower?" Logan asked with a smirk.

"Finally! If it takes you this long to get presentable, you should quit while you're ahead!" Weevil exclaimed.

"Veronica's coming over, so feel free to leave," Logan said.

"V's my friend. I'd never be so rude," Weevil said with a grin, knowing his presence would annoy Logan.

Logan sighed in resignation. There was always someone around. The house was a revolving door of people. Grandma Letty was in high demand from everyone. Cousins and uncles and friends were forever dropping by. Logan tried to hide in his room, but she wouldn't let him. She was always making him meet people. If they weren't here to see her, they were here to see the new computer Logan got the household. Surprisingly, after giving him an odd look or two, everyone was warm and welcoming. Maybe the computer helped; he wasn't sure. But no one seemed to care who he was or who his parents were. It was a strange feeling to just be one in the crowd. He wasn't sure if he liked it or not. However, the sense of loneliness that was always with him whenever he was at an 09er party before he was dating Veronica was noticeably absent. For some reason, he felt welcome and not tolerated. It was a strange feeling and not one he would have ever thought he'd find at Weevil's house. Privacy was something he guessed he'd have to learn to kiss goodbye along with all his other possessions—at least until he got off his damn ankle monitor.

The doorbell rang, and Logan practically ran to the door. Being stuck at the house with no choice in who he saw and very little options in what he could do was a real drag. He was dying to see Veronica because she hadn't been able to come by yesterday due to work. He pulled the door open and wasted no time in pulling Veronica into his arms. She barely got out a "Hel-" before he fused their mouths together.

Weevil came into the living room to see the front door wide open and Logan practically devouring V in the doorway. "Yo, white boy! Learn some manners! At least shut the door. You're giving the neighbors a show!" Weevil hollered. When Logan and Veronica both ignored him, he sighed in annoyance and walked toward the couple. He nudged Logan over and shut the door loudly.

Veronica finally pulled back and gave Logan a bemused look. "I guess it's safe to say you missed me," she said with satisfaction.

"You have no idea!" Logan exclaimed.

"The whole neighborhood has an idea, Romeo!" Weevil replied with an eye roll.

Logan refused to let anything dampen his good mood. Veronica was going to spend the evening with him. He didn't even care if he had to share her with Weevil. Okay, so he cared, but he'd deal. He put his arm around her shoulder and led her to the couch.

"Where's your grandmother?" Veronica asked Weevil.

"At church. One of my brothers is in training to be an altar boy. She'll be back around nine because she goes over to a friend's afterwards. She made a casserole. It's in the oven when we get hungry," Weevil shared.

Veronica turned and looked closely at Logan. His face was mostly healed up. She looked down at his hands. They were no longer wrapped mummy-style. "I see you're finally down to partial bandages," she observed. His fingers were now visible.

"Yes, the nurse came by today and said it needs to breathe," he explained. "Now you can kiss it and make it better!"

"Oh, please!" Weevil inserted, making gagging noises.

"You can leave anytime. In fact, now would be great!" Logan said with a smirk.

"And make you happy? Hell, no!" Weevil replied with his own smirk.

"So how's things going here?" Veronica asked, looking between the two boys.

Weevil shrugged. Logan said, "Okay. I've seen more people the past two days than I normally see in a month, but it's fine."

"My grandmother is popular," Weevil said in agreement.

"Popular? No. _I'm_ popular. Your grandmother is like Jesus or something. There's like a revolving pilgrimage of people to see her or to gawk at me. Either one," Logan said.

Weevil grinned. "She's an amazing lady. What can I say?"

"It's good for you. You've spent too much time alone," Veronica remarked.

"So what's new? Any updates?" Logan asked.

"Yesterday, after my shift at the Hut, Dad and I worked on his book. Today, Wallace and I went to campus, I have your homework by the way, and Meg introduced us to Hannah Griffith," Veronica shared.

"Who's this?" Weevil asked.

"The daughter of the doctor who gave the false testimony," Veronica explained.

"And?" Logan prodded.

"And not much. She's very sweet and very young. Wallace charmed her. She was like a sophomore version of Meg or even me really. If I was ever that sweet and innocence," Veronica remarked.

"You were," Logan said, remembering with a fond smile.

"Her parents are divorced, and they both live in town. She goes back and forth. From what I could tell, she adores her dad," Veronica said. "We took her home, but we didn't get an invite inside. Yet." Neither boy doubted she'd gain access to Hannah's house soon.

"So how does knowing this help?" Weevil asked.

"The more we know the better," Veronica said.

"Well, it may not matter. My lawyer got the good doctor's bank record. I know we had them already, but he went through legal channels, so he could use it in court. Anyway, the huge deposit we know Dr. Griffith got the day he went him to give his sudden testimony is going to be brought up. Not to mention Luis's testimony. My lawyer is confident he can convince the judge this is a bogus witch hunt, and that the real killer is getting away with it," Logan shared with satisfaction.

"Really? That's great! When's the hearing?" Veronica asked.

"Next Monday. I'll get to go see my doctor and then get a deputy escort to the courthouse," Logan said.

"So you could get out of the ankle monitor then?" Veronica asked hopefully.

"Yes, and then I can leave whenever I want. We can go celebrate our three-month anniversary," Logan said, happy at the thought.

"A whole three months? You must be so proud!" Weevil commented sarcastically.

"Let's see you date a girl like Veronica for three months," Logan challenged. Weevil just scoffed, not rising to the bait.

"You know if you get that monitor off, don't think grandmother is going to let you leave," Weevil warned. "Until she's convinced you're perfectly recovered, she'll freak if you try to leave."

Veronica laughed. Logan looked glum. "Well, I don't mind, but it sucks knowing I can't leave if I want to. I can't surf. Not that I could anyway, but I could at least go sit at the beach!" he complained.

"Don't worry. I'm sure this will be over soon. I can't believe Lamb would be so dumb. Luis said he didn't even have him come back and sit with a sketch artist. I hope your lawyer brings that up at the hearing," Veronica said.

"He will. Believe me," Logan said. Then he looked at Veronica as if debating something. "My dad called my attorney. Added some pressure."

Veronica took a second to process that bit of news. Then she said, "Well, at least he's good for something."

"So let's talk about what you plan on doing about Thumper and Liam and the church," Weevil interjected, changing the subject. He didn't want to touch the topic of Aaron. His own dad was in jail, so he couldn't exactly make fun of Logan for having such a monster as a father. Grant it, Logan's dad was much worse than his dumb thieving father but still. He wasn't a hypocrite.

"Yes, let's," Logan said. "Are you going to do anything?"

Veronica sighed dramatically to let them know how put upon she felt. "Already done," she announced.

The boys looked at her in surprise. "Really?" Logan asked.

"I will _not_ bug a confessional. I could go to jail or something. Not to mention hell. But I did go by there earlier and put in a camera," she told them. "There will be video. Maybe we can find something that can be used at the hearing. Since the hearing isn't a trial, they sometimes allow things in as evidence that they wouldn't in a regular court case. At least with the defense because the defense is trying to point out that the prosecution has no right to bring the charges against Logan," Veronica explained.

"Well, the hearing is Monday, so I hope that gives us enough time," Logan observed.

"What we need really is motive. Why would the Fitzpatricks have Thumper kill Felix?" Veronica wondered.

"We already know why. He was selling drugs and Felix found out. Not to mention Felix was dating Molly Fitzpatrick," Logan reminded her.

"I know, but we need to prove this. The camera may pick up the drug connection. We need to find a clear Molly-Felix connection," Veronica said.

"I can work on that. I'll get his mom to let me go through his stuff," Weevil said.

"Good. It'd be great if we could find something concrete because we know Molly won't testify," Veronica said.

There was a knock at the door, and Weevil got up to answer it. When he saw who it was, he blurted, "Hell no!" in annoyance.

Veronica and Logan looked to see Dick towering over Weevil with that big shit-eating grin of his. "Came to see my buddy and since he has officially hit rock bottom and lives with you—the world has gone insane—I'm here, too," Dick said, pushing his way inside.

Weevil rolled his eyes and wanted to hit a wall. Dealing with Logan was bad enough. Dealing with Logan's 09er friends another, especially this one, was even worse. "Okay, I give up. I'm outta of here. Don't burn the place down or anything while I'm gone," Weevil said, grabbing his keys.

"As long as none of your friends come by, the house should be safe," Logan pointed out.

Weevil thought about that. "I won't be gone long," he said, deciding that he didn't want to test his grandmother's popularity after all.

After he left, Logan smiled at Dick. "Hey, thanks! I've been trying to get rid of him all day. Who knew that just having you show up would do the trick!" Logan said happily.

"Glad I could help," Dick said. He looked around the room with interest. "The house is much bigger than Ronnie's tiny place. Not as bad as I imagined."

"'Cause I live in an apartment. This is a house. A normal, typical American-family house," Veronica replied impatiently.

"I still can't believe you're living here. It's crazy. How exactly did this happen? Did you hit your head that hard?" Dick asked, not able to accept Logan's new address.

Logan shrugged. "You know Weevil's grandmother has worked for my family ever since we moved to Neptune. She probably knows more about the sordidness that went on at my house than you do," Logan shared. "She loved my mom. She came to see me Sunday evening with Weevil when I was at the hospital and made him apologize for what happened."

Dick's eyes got wide for a moment; then he burst out in laughter. "Weevil's grandmother made him say sorry? That's rich! Wish I'd been there!" he exclaimed, relishing the image.

"Yeah, it was one of my better memories!" Logan quipped with a grin. "Anyway, Mrs. Navarro got upset when she found out Trina wasn't rushing home to take care of me."

Dick looked shocked at that suggestion. "She must not know Trina that well!" Dick observed.

"Trina's been gone a lot. Pretty much since she turned seventeen, so she doesn't really know her the way we do," Logan said. "Mrs. Navarro went on about how much she admired my mom and how my mom would want her to take care of me blah blah. It was hard to say no."

Dick nodded in understanding. Although he never much missed his mom, at least she was alive. She didn't off herself just to escape his dad. She was smart enough to divorce him and take half his money. Dick didn't understand why Logan's mom hadn't just done that. However, he knew better than to voice that particular thought. "Well, I guess you'll get to see how the other half lives," Dick said. "How's it been?"

"Okay. Too many people, though. I guess Mexican families share pretty much everything. Weevil's grandmother is insanely popular," Logan said.

"Okay. That's enough. I've been here less than fifteen minutes, and Dick is taking up way too much of our time together!" Veronica complained, tired of being ignored.

Logan immediately looked contrite. "I'm sorry!" he said sincerely. "Dick, thanks for dropping by. But I haven't had any time alone with Veronica in a week. This place is rarely empty, so how about you call me tomorrow? Or drop by after class."

Dick grinned in understanding. "Dude! I get it. No problem!" he said, getting up from the chair he had been sitting in. "I'll catch you later. No, wait. I came here 'cause I wanted to know who the girl was Ronnie and Wallace was hanging with at school."

"I'll explain later! I promise!" Logan assured him, eying Veronica's look of impatience.

Dick nodded and waved a cheery goodbye. As soon as the door shut, Logan let out a happy sigh. "Alone at last! God, how I've missed privacy! Even more than my actual house!" he shared.

Veronica looked sympathetic. "I know this isn't easy, but you're doing great considering," she said.

Logan turned to her. "So Weevil should be gone at least an hour. How about we make up for lost time?" he suggested, giving her a lecherous once over.

Veronica grinned and nodded. He leaned over and kissed her. Like always, the heat flared between them. For a moment, Veronica forgot all about his injury and put her arms around his neck, pulling him tightly against her. Logan was unable to hold back a moan of pain.

Veronica rose up in concern. "Oh, no! I'm so sorry. I forgot. Are you okay?" she asked in concern, guilt in her eyes.

Logan moved gingerly. "It's okay. I forget, too. Sometimes the pain is so minor I don't even think about it. But if I move suddenly or lay on my back, the pain flares up," Logan shared.

"So why don't we just cuddle and watch some TV?" Veronica suggested. "Neither of us seems to have much self-control."

Logan grinned at her admittance. "I won't always be like this, you know. We'll have a LOT of time to make up for," he said with knowing grin. "Hopefully, in another week at least I'll be more mobile."

"I look forward to it," Veronica said, giving him a saucy grin. She snuggled into his side while he reached for the remote.

Logan planted a kiss on the top of her head and resigned himself to just the pleasure of her company. Of course, being with her was always a pleasure. Right now, she really was the only good thing in his life. Sometimes, fear of losing her kept him awake at night. He couldn't go to jail. She deserved so much better than a felon. If the worst happened, he'd have to let her go. For the thousandth time, Logan prayed a silent prayer that for once things would go his way and the entire mess would finally be put behind him.

*** _**Chapter End******_

_I hope you are still enjoying this long tale. More to come. Comment if you feel moved. I do appreciate it. Thanks!_


	23. Rules of Evidence

_ ******Monday Morning****** _

Logan really and truly wished he could sleep in. However, between his own anxieties about court today and all the household noises, sleep was impossible. He sighed in resignation and sat up in his twin bed. His back twinged painfully at his movements. His hands itched. He knew itching meant healing, but it was annoying.

There was a loud bang on his bedroom door. "Logan? Are you up? Grandma said to wake you. Breakfast is ready. Pancakes," Jordan shouted.

"I'm up. Be right there," Logan yelled back. Weevil's little brothers were much more pleasant than Weevil. The youngest one was actually very cute and sweet. The alter boy. Logan always thought it'd be cool to have a little brother. He just had his friends. However, Dick and Duncan were like brothers to him. Like brothers, they always had each others' backs. Even Beaver at times seemed like the unwanted little brother you had to put up with. But Weevil had a family. Even without a mom and dad, he had a family. He had a grandmother, brothers, and an endless supply of cousins and other relatives. For the first time in his life, Logan felt envious of his rival. Weevil and his family didn't have a lot of money, but it really didn't seem to matter. They were much happier than any other family Logan knew. It disconcerted him. Weevil wasn't even as bad as Logan expected—at least not more than annoying. And Grandma Letty's pancakes were so worth their weight in gold.

Twenty minutes later Logan, after gorging on an insane amount of pancakes, pushed the plate back. "No mas!" he moaned.

Grandma Letty gave him a pleased smile. "It's good that you eat so much. Soon, you will be all better. How you feeling this morning?" she asked.

"Okay. My hands itch like crazy, and my back still hurts. But it's getting better," Logan replied.

"What time's your doctor appointment?" Weevil asked.

"Nine. Court's at ten, so I'm cutting it close," Logan said.

"Take off your shirt," Grandma Letty ordered.

Weevil choked on the juice he had just taken a drink of. "Grandma!" he gasped.

Before Logan could reply, she repeated her order, "Take off your shirt. I need to apply your medicine and see how it looks before you go to doctor. Don't want the doctor to think I no take good care of you," she said.

Logan laughed at Weevil's confusion and stood up. "No danger of that. My own parents never paid so much attention to me," Logan replied as he took off his shirt.

Neither Grandma Letty nor Weevil commented on his remark but a look was exchanged between them. Logan moved the chair and turned, so he was straddling the chair and his back was facing Weevil's grandmother.

Weevil got up from his own chair, curious to see the damage. The bandage was toward the top center of his back. Letty carefully pulled off the bandage and examined it. "Ah, good. No infection. Let it breathe while I go get the salve," she said.

Weevil found the injury more than a little disgusting. Burns were never attractive and this one was a burn and a nice size hole. At least the stitches indicated there had been a hole. "Wicked!" Weevil exclaimed. As Weevil looked at the back, he couldn't help but notice several other scars. The more he looked the more he saw. He couldn't help but wince. "Man, your back is a map of battle scars," he said. "What happened?"

His grandmother entered the kitchen as he asked. "Never you mind that, Eli," she said.

Logan shrugged. "It's okay. Let's just say dear o' Dad wasn't just a murdering sex fiend," Logan shared.

Weevil looked at his grandmother, who nodded without saying anything. She obviously knew that Logan had been abused. No wonder she had been so quick to offer him aid. All those years she had worked in that house and knew that Aaron Echolls hurt his son and knew she could do nothing about it. He drove his wife to suicide, seduced and killed his son's girlfriend, and attempted to kill a second. For the first time in his life, Weevil felt true sympathy for the leader of the 09ers. Weevil's father may be a loser, but he'd never hurt Weevil physically.

"He sounds like a real winner. Maybe I'll give my dad a call and have him pay a little visit to your dad," Weevil suggested.

Logan turned and looked confused. "Huh?" he asked.

"My dad's no winner either. He's serving a dime for holding up a store," Weevil shared. Knowing they shared less than admirable fathers alleviated some of the awkwardness Logan's revelation caused.

Logan nodded in understanding and appreciated Weevil's gesture. "Dad always likes to meet a fan," he replied with a grin.

Weevil returned it and then began to clear the breakfast plates while his grandmother took care of Logan's back.

****** _Two Hours Later**_ *****

Logan's attorney was waiting for him outside of the courtroom doors. "Hey, Logan. What did the doctor say?" his attorney asked.

"Healing nicely. No signs of infection and he took off the bandage. I should get my stitches out in a few more days," Logan replied. "So how's this going to work?"

"We wait until you're called, and then the D.A. will present the evidence against you. Then I will proceed to tear apart their evidence and introduce my own," the lawyer replied.

"And Luis will testify?" Logan asked.

"Yes, and I also am calling Deputy Sacks to the stand to counter Sheriff Lamb," the lawyer revealed. "I feel really good about this, Logan."

"So you think my chances are good?" Logan asked.

"Very good," the lawyer said.

"Do you need me to say good things about Logan?" Mrs. Navarro asked.

"If we have to go to trial, yes, but not for this hearing," the lawyer said.

"Thanks for coming," Logan said to her and Weevil.

"Logan!" a voice called out. He turned and saw Keith and Veronica Mars coming toward them. He smiled, happy to see them.

Veronica went up and gave him a kiss. Keith spoke to Leo, his police escort. "If the hearing goes Logan's way, will you be able to take off the monitor or does your boss plan to drag this out?" Keith asked.

Leo grinned. "Not even Don can interfere with a judge's order so don't worry. I will take it off if the charges are dropped," Leo assured them.

They all filed into the courtroom. Logan's friends sat in the row behind him and his attorney. They didn't have to wait long before Logan's name was called. All the old evidence was introduced. Finding Logan at Veronica's bloody and beat up. Logan's attorney was smart. He asked Sheriff Lamb if any of the blood on Logan's shirt had belonged to the deceased Felix Toombs. When Don admitted it had all been Logan's blood, the attorney hammered Don's testimony over the new witness. He was asked if Dr. Griffith had been the first witness to come forward. The attorney got him to admit that Luis had came in first.

"So you didn't find it strange that the very next day a new witness just magically appeared to give a completely opposite testimony?" the attorney asked Lamb.

"Sometimes, one witness stepping forward is all it takes. Obviously, the doctor didn't like knowing a witness was stating something contrary to the facts he witnessed," Lamb said easily.

"So you dismissed Luis Ramirez's testimony? Why? Because he wasn't a white doctor?" the attorney asked pointedly.

"We found Dr. Griffith's testimony more credible. His standing in the community was a factor," Don admitted.

"And you did not find Dr. Griffith to have any unsavory associates?" the attorney questioned.

"No," Lamb replied.

"So it may surprise you to discover that he has been called upon more than once to patch up one of the Fitzpatricks?" the attorney asked.

Lamb's surprise was obvious. When questioned further, he reluctantly shared who the Fitzpatricks were and what their reputation was in the town.

"So finding evidence to nail the Fitzpatricks for drugs and other criminal activity was a long term goal of the Neptune Sheriff's Department, isn't that right?" the attorney asked.

"Our goal is to always stop crime," Lamb answered evasively.

Logan's attorney didn't have any further questions. The prosecution then called up Dr. Griffith to give his testimony. Logan's high priced attorney looked eager to question the doctor, and he got the doctor to admit he had done work on both Danny Boyd and his cousin Cormac Fitzpatrick. Then he entered Dr. Griffith's bank statement into evidence.

"Dr. Griffith, can your read the amount of the deposit on July 5th and who it was from?" the attorney asked.

"It's for $20,000 and is from Fitzco Incorporated," Dr. Griffith said.

"And who is Fitzco Incorporated?" the attorney asked.

"A client of mine," Dr. Griffith replied, his nerves starting to show.

"A client? One you did surgery on?" the attorney asked with a smirk.

"Obviously, not. I'd have to look it up in my records," the doctor answered evasively, obviously uncomfortable with this line of questioning.

"Well, let me jog your memory. Fitzco is owned by the River Styx's, which is owned by the Fitzpatricks—the town's most notorious crime family," the attorney explained.

"Objection, your honor, the Fitzpatricks are not on trial here," the D.A. argued.

"Your honor, this is clear evidence that this witness was bought off. I have a witness that will testify that they saw another person stab the victim—a person who is selling drugs for the Fitzpatricks," the attorney argued.

"I'll allow it. Remember, this is not a trial. I will allow some leeway," the judge announced.

"Your, honor, I'd like to admit into evidence this city records showing that Fitzco Incorporated is owned by the River Styx," the attorney said. He handed a copy to both the judge and the D.A.

"So, Dr. Griffith, is $20,000 the going rate for lying under oath?" the attorney asked.

The D. A. objected, and Logan's attorney's rephrased the question. "Dr. Griffith, did the Fitzpatrick family pay you money to give false testimony?" the attorney asked.

"No, of course not," the doctor replied.

"So you expect the court to believe that you getting paid $20,000 the day before you walked into the Sheriff's Department is pure coincidence?" the attorney asked, the disbelief and disdain obvious in his tone.

"Yes," the doctor replied.

The judge interrupted. "You do know the crime for perjury?" the judge asked.

"Yes, your honor," the doctor replied.

It was clear that the judge was not convinced of the doctor's testimony. He was dismissed, and the prosecution had no more evidence.

"Our turn," Logan's attorney said to him. Logan was surprised when the first witness he called was Keith Mars. Logan looked back at Veronica, who was obviously surprised, too.

"Mr. Mars, how long where you the Sheriff here?" the attorney asked.

"Five years," Keith replied.

"In those five years, did you have occasion to arrest any of the Fitzpatricks?" the attorney asked.

"Yes, several times. Currently, Liam's brother is serving ten years for armed robbery. The members of the family, with the exception of their brother who is a priest at St. Mary's, have been in and out of jail since they were fourteen," Keith replied.

"What is the most common crime they are arrested for?" the attorney asked.

"Drug possession and theft," Keith stated.

"And what was your suspicion during the years you were sheriff?" the attorney questioned.

"That the River Styx was a cover for drug trafficking," Keith replied. "Not being able to prove that before I quit being sheriff was one of my great disappointments."

"Thank you, Mr. Mars," the attorney said.

The D.A. asked, "Mr. Mars, you didn't quit being sheriff but were fired, isn't that correct?"

"I was asked to resign due to my conviction that the Kane family was covering up evidence in their daughter's death," Keith said.

"So you often suspect people of crimes without any real evidence, don't you?" the district attorney asked.

"I suspect criminals of criminal behavior and become suspicious when sworn statements contradict, which was the case with the Kane family," Keith answered easily.

Logan couldn't help but be impressed at the ease in which Keith answered the D.A.'s questions. He couldn't be shaken. Finally, the district attorney gave up.

Next, Deputy Sacks was called to the stand. His reluctance to testify was obvious, but he could not ignore a summons. He went on record stating that the Sheriff had been perfectly satisfied with Luis' testimony until the next day when Dr. Griffith came in. Sacks had verified with Luis's job the time he got off, and the GPS on the truck did put Luis near the bridge at that time. Logan turned back to Veronica and flashed her an excited grin. Veronica was always extra happy whenever Lamb's incompetence was clearly shown. She kept throwing him gloating looks.

Then Logan's attorney called Logan to the stand to give his testimony. Logan had told the story so many times that he could tell it in his sleep. Yes, he was surrounded by ten or more gang members. Yes, he knocked out their leader Weevil with a kick to the head. Yes, he woke up on the bridge with Felix dead and a bloody knife in his hand. Yes, there was a witness who found him and asked him if he was okay. Logan testified about the truck Luis was driving. This was the first time he had admitted this part on record. He argued with his attorney about admitting about the knife. However, his attorney said he had to because of what Luis would testify about.

When the D.A. got a chance to question him, he brought up the fact that Logan never shared this part, and he threw the knife in the water. Logan admitted that he was scared. He woke up not remembering exactly what happened but knew that someone was dead, and he had a knife he had never seen before in his hand. Logan managed to keep his cool under testimony by looking over at Veronica every time he felt like yelling at the district attorney. Finally, it was over and Logan was able to step down.

Then Luis was called to the stand. He gave a clear testimony about what he saw on the bridge and his fear of PCH retaliation. He admitted that the only reason he had gotten up the courage to testify was because the leader of the PCHers had came to him and asked him what he saw, assuring he had nothing to fear.

"What exactly did Mr. Navarro say to you?" the attorney asked.

"After I told him what I saw, he asked me if I was positive it was another PCHer that stabbed the one PCHer and planted the knife," Luis replied.

"What was your reply?"

"I said I was. Then he showed me a few pictures of his friends. There were three that looked similar and matched the person I saw stab the other guy. Shaved heads, not too tall. From the distance, I couldn't give a positive ID, but I thought three of his friends could've been the guy I saw," Luis replied.

"Did Sheriff Lamb give you any reason why he no longer needed you to sit down with a sketch artist so an ID might be made?" the attorney asked.

"He told me that he had another witness and my testimony was no longer needed," Luis replied.

As Luis talked, Logan became excited. Things were going really well. Luis was credible and clear on what he saw, and the district attorney couldn't shake him. In fact, Luis's disgust at being so easily dismissed by Lamb was obvious.

Logan was once again surprised when his attorney called Weevil to the stand. Logan could not believe that Weevil was testifying. No one had told him. He looked back at Veronica who also seemed surprised.

Weevil testified about the night Felix was killed and how he had overheard Veronica Mars say Logan lied about his alibi the night Lilly Kane was killed. Weevil was convinced that Logan killed Lilly and wanted him to pay, so he ordered his guys to go after him. Weevil admitted to not being conscious for long when Logan kicked him in the face. Logan smirked at hearing Weevil admit that. When he looked back at Veronica, he could see that hearing this upset her. Frowning, he turned back to listen to his attorney question Weevil further. His attorney asked Eli about the pictures he showed Luis. Weevil testified that he showed Luis pictures of Jorge, Juan, and Thumper.

"However, I knew it was Thumper," Weevil explained.

"Why?"

"Because one of my boys told me that Thumper was running drugs for the Fitzpatricks," Weevil shared.

"How did he find this out?" the attorney asked.

"He saw Thumper at the River Styx do a hand off. Then I had instructed a few of them to find some hard evidence," Weevil admitted.

They had decided that the video Veronica had planted would be introduced as something one of Weevil's boys did.

"What is this evidence?" the attorney questioned.

"We noticed that Thumper and Liam Fitzpatrick were going to confessional at St. Mary's an awful lot. Sometimes twice a week. I found that odd. Even my grandmother noticed Thumper's sudden increase in church attendance and had mentioned it to me. I guess one of the boys decided it was too good an opportunity to pass up. One of them planted a camera in the confessional," Weevil admitted.

The D.A. was naturally outraged at this and stood up to object. The judge called both attorneys to his bench. Logan's attorney argued that the video had no sound and no sacred confessions were recorded, but it clearly shows that the confessional was used as a drop point for drugs and money. The judge was curious, so he allowed the video to be played. After the video was played, the judge waved his hand.

"Okay, I've seen enough. It's obvious to the court that the Sheriff's department has put little effort into a real investigation and too easily decided to pin this murder once again on Logan Echolls without _actually_ looking at the evidence," the judge said. He looked at Lamb. "Sheriff, do a better job or I'll do my best to see you thrown out of office like your predecessor. I'm dismissing the charges against Mr. Echolls. If I see him brought into court on these charges again, I'm going to have a grand jury formed to investigate ever aspect of your leadership. Is that clear?" Don nodded in anger. The judge hit his gavel. "Case dismissed. Mr. Echolls is free to go."

Veronica stood up and cheered and wasted no time in getting to Logan's side. He gave her a loud smack on the lips and grinned from ear to ear. Then he turned to his lawyer. "You were worth every penny," Logan said, shaking his head.

"Well, you and your friends made my job easy. Good luck, Logan. Call me if you need me again." Then the attorney said to Sheriff Lamb. "Remove his ankle monitor, please."

Lamb motioned to Leo, who went to Logan and took off the monitor. Grandma Letty gave him a hug, and Keith shook his hand. Logan felt a huge weight lift off of him. He couldn't believe it was over.

"I can't believe you guys testified on my behalf. Thanks. I owe you both," Logan said to Keith and Weevil.

Weevil shrugged. "Your attorney told me that my testimony was needed to get in the video without incriminating anyone else," he looked pointedly at Veronica.

Keith noticed the look. "Veronica, is there something you want to tell me?" he asked sternly.

"No. Nothing at all," she said innocently.

While Keith pulled her aside and began to lecture her on the sins of bugging confessionals, Logan turned back to Weevil. "Dude, I know we've had a lot of problems between us. I hated you for sleeping with Lilly and wanting to sleep with Veronica, but what you did today and what you did last week more than makes up for it. I owe you my life. From now on, I'd like you to consider me a friend," Logan said, holding out his hand.

Weevil took it. "Does this make me an honorary 09er?" he asked with a smirk.

"Nope. Your house is too small and mine burned down, so I guess that makes me an 02er," Logan replied with a grin.

Weevil laughed. "That'll be the day," he said. "And listen, I don't have a thing for Veronica. She's hot, and I like to flirt with her sometime. But I really don't think of her that way. At least not in a long time. It's hard to not like her and want to protect her, but it's not because I'm panting after her. So you can relax about that."

Logan nodded, happy to hear that. They both looked over at Veronica who was working her mojo on her dad. Keith no longer looked annoyed and was fighting a grin. "She's something, isn't she?" Logan said to Weevil.

Weevil chuckled. "One of a kind."

***** _Chapter End******_

_ So I know this was a quick wrap up, but I honestly couldn't see a good attorney not tearing apart Lamb's stupidity. No need to use Hannah after all. Reviews make me happy. If this chapter made you happy, share. If it annoyed you, you can share that, too! :) _


	24. A Surprising Attraction

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> As you read, keep in mind that I am writing this story always in the lens of how things would've change or could've changed if LoVe hadn't broken up that summer. In this chapter, I touch on a few things that always bugged me, laying the groundwork for future storylines.

**** _*After Court**_ ****

The week Logan found himself freed from all confinement was, for once, uneventful. They all went to lunch at Luigi's to celebrate his win and it finally being over. It was an odd bunch. Weevil and his grandmother with Veronica and her dad. Logan would have never believed he'd be a part of such a lunch. However, they had a good time. Since Weevil had been so willing to stand up for him both with his friends and in court, Logan knew he had to throw out all his old animosity and jealousy. Watching Weevil interact with Veronica helped with this. She treated him the way she treated Wallace, and Logan finally and truly knew that Weevil was no real threat for his affections. It helped him relax.

After lunch, Logan wanted to go see what was left of his home. Veronica tried to convince him to wait for another day because today was a good day, and she didn't want him to be upset. However, Logan insisted. He had to see it for himself. Unfortunately, Veronica was right. The sight of his charred home was depressing as hell. The patio furniture by the pool was all that was really salvageable.

"This is so awful! I'm glad your mama isn't here to see this! It would break her heart!" Grandma Lettie cried, wiping her eyes. She turned and glared at her grandson. "I told you these boys were no good for you to be friends with! Shame on you, Eli! Shame!"

"Now, Lettie, Eli made the right choice in the end," Keith said in his defense. "It's not easy to go against your friends."

Veronica patted Weevil's arm. "He was quite heroic!" she teased, earning a sour look from him.

She went and followed Logan into the pool house as it was the most undamaged.

"Can you believe this? The one place I wish _had_ burned to the ground is this place and look. It's still mostly standing!" Logan said in disgust. He looked up at the camera his dad used to spy on his sexual partners. Veronica put her arm around his waist and leaned into him, careful to not touch his injury.

"Wanna start a bonfire?" Veronica asked with a grin.

"Don't tempt me!" Logan exclaimed. He went over to the cabinet and discovered that the video recording equipment was intact. "We should let Weevil take this out and sell it or something. That would really piss off my dad."

Veronica looked at it in disgust. "Sometimes, I dream about how different things may have been if Lilly hadn't taken those tapes from your dad. She'd probably still be alive. Why did she have to be so impulsive? I bet she was pissed and saw an opportunity to torture him with it," Veronica observed.

Logan didn't like thinking about it at all. He wasn't surprised that his dad tried to seduce his girlfriend, but Lilly sleeping with his dad. How could she do that? "Why did Lilly do it? I'll never understand," Logan said softly.

Veronica winced. This was a minefield. "I knew Lilly better than anyone, and yet I still didn't always understand her," Veronica said with a sigh. "I know she loved you in a careless way. However, she _was_ selfish and thoughtless, especially with men. I think she cared more about the thrill of it all rather than what she was doing to the guys. I guess, like most teenagers, she thought she was invincible and lived in the moment."

"I know she never loved me the way I loved her," Logan confessed quietly. "But how can I let those tapes of her and my dad be viewed by so many strangers? It makes me sick to think about."

Veronica gazed at him with compassion. "Unfortunately, a lot of people have already seen it. Deputies and attorneys. Since she is underage, the courtroom will not allow cameras or any of the footage to be broadcasted to the public. Without the tapes, it will be hard to paint your dad as the villain we know him to be," Veronica told Logan. "Remember, your dad is a master at getting people to believe him and love him. Even with my testimony and my dad's, his conviction isn't guaranteed. There is no physical evidence tying your dad to the murder. It's the amount of circumstantial and his words to me that will nail him. Those tapes are key for the jury to see he had motive. "

Logan nodded. He didn't like to admit it, but he knew Veronica was right. "I just don't want to people to remember her that way. That wasn't all she was," he said soulfully.

Veronica reached up and planted a soft kiss on his lips. Her own eyes misting over. "We can talk to your attorney and see if he can maybe make sure that only the jury is in the courtroom when the video is played. We'll protect her. We know that she was so much more, and everyone else who knew her knows that. And we will get our day in court to tell who she was," Veronica assured him, laying her head down on his chest as he hugged her.

***** _Friday Afternoon_ ******

Veronica and Mac brought the guys lunch for their last official day of summer school. Next Monday and Tuesday were finals. Veronica greeted Logan with a kiss while Mac gave Cassidy a shy smile. He grinned happily at her. "You came!" he remarked.

"Dude, I told you. Logan said they were bringing lunch," Dick said. He grinned at Mac. "What did you bring me?"

"Grande burritos from Los Dos and sweet and sour chicken from the Chinese restaurant across the street," Mac said.

"Sweet!" Dick replied, grabbing a burrito.

Logan took the sweet and sour chicken. After all the food had been dispensed and mostly consumed, Veronica said, "So what are we going to do to celebrate the end of summer school?"

"We should throw a party!" Dick exclaimed.

"No! I'm not in the mood to deal with Madison and the usual crowd," Logan said.

"Dude, we haven't really got to celebrate you release," Dick protested.

"I'm not up for it," Logan replied firmly.

"How about just us and Duncan and Meg hanging out at our place?" Dick suggested.

"I don't trust you not to invite others," Logan countered.

"Dude, I promise. I won't even invite Luke and Casey," Dick promised.

Logan looked at Veronica, who shrugged. "It's fine with me. A low-key evening will be nice, but we have to invite Wallace," she said.

"And Weevil," Logan added.

Dick opened his mouth to protest, and Logan held up his hand. "Accept it. He stood up for me with his entire gang and was thrown out—violently I might add. He saved my life, and it was _his_ testimony that convinced the judge that I was not the guy who stabbed Felix," Logan said firmly.

"Is this one of those, 'accept it or your dead to me' things?" Dick asked, recalling Logan's first public outing with Veronica.

"No. But if I can get pass my differences with Weevil, surely you can," Logan said.

"Well, he did save your life and that goes a long way with me," Dick said.

"Weevil's cool," Veronica said loyally. "Of course, Wallace will be the one to be the most uncomfortable with his presence. Weevil did duct tape him to the flagpole the first week of school last year."

Dick laughed. "Oh yeah! Poor Wally!" Dick said.

Veronica noticed that Mac and Cassidy were completely ignoring their entire conversation, deep in their own discussion. "What are you two cooking up?" she asked them suspiciously.

Mac grinned while Cassidy looked pleased. "We were discussing Cassidy's diabolical plans to continue our torture of the Fitzpatricks," Mac shared proudly. "We already called and cancelled this week’s liquor delivery. I've drafted several complaints in ghost accounts about food poisoning and rats that I'm going to send to the health department."

"Nice," Dick said with admiration.

"I'm impressed," Veronica said.

"It's over. I don't want anymore crap going on," Logan said in annoyance. "I won. It's over. Let it be."

"No payback? Just let them get away with it?" Veronica asked incredulously. "Do you _know_ who you're dating?"

Logan gave her a small smile. "Sorry, Fido, but I just don't care anymore," Logan said.

"You don't have to. We care enough for you!" Veronica replied.

"I don't want you on their radar," Logan argued.

"There's no way this can ever come back to us," Cassidy told him. "Don't worry."

"Well, just stay away from the place," Logan said, giving up.

"Don't worry, Logan," Mac said. "We have no plans to show up there. Safe distances only."

"Okay, so what's the plan? Our house at seven? Dad and Kendall are gone," Dick said.

"Oh, is that your dad's new girlfriend?" Veronica asked.

"Yeah, she's smoking hot! A former Lakers cheerleader. I have no idea what she's doing with my dad," Dick shared.

"Sure, you do," Cassidy said in disgust. "Can you say gold-digger?"

Dick smirked in agreement. "Well, this gold-digger is going to be our new mommy, so get used to her. Dad is going to propose."

Cassidy groaned. "He's such an embarrassment," he complained.

" _He_ is? You're the one who flunked Driver's Ed, dude!" Dick said with a smirk.

"Aren't you the one who flunked kindergarten?" Veronica reminded him.

"And freshman English," Logan added.

"And biology," Cassidy said, enjoying the tables being turned for once.

Mac felt sorry for Dick. "Be nice. Dick just hasn't been inspired for studies yet. He'll do better in college, I'm sure. Sometimes, it just takes boys longer to settle down and focus," Mac said in defense.

Dick raised his chin up, basking in the rare occurrence of someone thinking he could do well in school.

Veronica patted Mac on the shoulder. "My poor optimist friend. You really do see the good in people, don't you?" Veronica said with a wide grin.

"Hey, leave Mackie alone! She's like a genius," Dick defended.

"Okay, so tonight?" Cassidy said, changing the subject.

Logan nodded. "Fine. As long as it's just us. I'll call Duncan. You call Wallace," he said to Veronica.

"Wallace may want to invite Hannah. He's been crushing on her ever since Meg and I introduced him to her. She's sweet just like him," Veronica remarked.

"I'm getting a toothache already, but okay. I don't care," Logan said. Then he eyed Dick, "No one else, Dick. I'll leave. I swear!"

"Trust me!" Dick insisted.

"Never!" Logan said knowingly.

Dick just grinned. He could work with a party of ten or so!

***** _Later that Night*_ ****

Looking up at the Casablancas mansion, Weevil was unsure of how exactly he came to be here. He turned and glared at Veronica and Logan. "I can't believe you talked me into this! A poker game I could handle but this?" Weevil said with derision.

Veronica grinned. "Don't worry, Weevs, I'll protect you from the big bad 09ers!" she assured him.

"There's not going to be that many 09ers here. Besides, Dick and Cassidy, just Duncan and Meg," Logan said.

"Wallace and Mac aren't 09ers, but Hannah is. However, she's just a sophomore, so she doesn't count," Veronica said dismissively.

"I reserve the right to bail whenever I want," Weevil said.

"Well, since you insisted on riding your hog here, I guess you can," Veronica said with a pout. She had been unable to convince Weevil to ride in Logan's yellow monstrosity. Logan had enjoyed watching Weevil resist her pleas. He had realized that if Weevil had been into her at all he would've given in much sooner. Logan was never able to resist her when she did the head tilt thing and looked at him that way. However, Weevil was immune when his mind was made up. He was determined not to be stuck at any 09er's house. Agreeing to attend was his only concession.

Dick greeted them with his big cheesy grin, obviously excited to have company. "Glad you're here. Beaver and I can't agree on what food to order," he told them.

"Pizza," Weevil said.

"Chinese," Logan said.

"Mexican," Veronica.

Dick looked at all three of them and frowned. "Told you!" Cassidy said. "We should just order a little bit of everything. Meg's pregnant, so who knows what she'll be craving anyway."

Weevil looked at Veronica. "Meg's pregnant?" he asked her. She nodded. "Kane's?" he asked.

She nodded again. "Her parents know. They're not really back together, but they're trying to work things out," Veronica said.

Weevil's mind immediately went to Duncan's sister Lilly. She'd be an aunt. He frowned at the thought. So many things she would never be again. "Any beer?" he asked Dick, needing to clear his mind of morose thoughts.

Dick pointed, and Weevil went to get a drink. Cassidy was on the phone ordering food. "Don't forget to order a veggie something or other for Mac," Dick reminded him. Cassidy nodded.

The doorbell rang. It was Duncan. "Hey. Where's Meg?" Veronica asked.

"She didn't want to come with me," Duncan said with a frown.

"Are you fighting?" Dick asked. "It's not cool to upset a pregnant lady, dude."

They all looked at Dick in surprise. "What?" he said defensively. "I know things!"

Everyone couldn't help but laugh.

"I haven't upset her, so don't worry," Duncan told Dick. Then he said to Veronica, "I'm not exactly sure what Meg's deal is, though. She said she didn't want things to be confusing."

Veronica thought a moment. "Have you talked about what you mean to each other or your relationship?" she asked him.

"Not really," Duncan replied. "I mean, I told her I want to be there for her, and she knows I care about her."

Veronica shook her head at his stupidity. "She's waiting for you to make it clear if you want to get back together," she spelled out.

Duncan looked confused. "We're having a child together," he replied.

"No. _She's_ having a child. You are helping when you can," Veronica clarified. "You broke up with her, remember?"

"About the time you found out you and Veronica weren't sisters," Logan reminded him.

Duncan looked surprised. "You told him about that?" he asked accusingly.

"Of course, she did! I'm her boyfriend," Logan reminded him.

"Dude, you dumped Ronnie 'cause you thought you were siblings?" Dick asked in shock. Then he laughed.

Weevil made his presence known. "So you allowed your _sister_ to be ridiculed, harassed, and bullied by the entire school? Your _actual_ sister would be so proud!" Weevil said, his contempt obvious.

Duncan opened his mouth to respond to Weevil's sudden attack. Veronica stepped in to diffuse the situation. "Our parents were having an affair. His mother lied to him and told him I was his sister," she explained.

"She didn't lie. She actually suspected that," Duncan clarified.

Cassidy had been listening without comment. Then he found himself revealing something he tried in vain to forget. "Wait. Didn't I see you sneaking out of a bedroom at Shelly's party after Lilly died?" Cassidy asked Duncan. "Veronica was in the room when I walked by. It was obvious that you two had been close."

Veronica gave him a sharp look. Duncan looked like he wanted to throw up while both Logan and Weevil looked at Duncan with anger in their eyes. Dick, of course, burst out laughing. "Dude, you slept with Veronica when you thought she was your sister?" Dick said.

"I was drunk," Duncan said weakly.

Veronica took a deep breath and worked to end the conversation. "He was drugged. Logan drugged him with GHB, which someone had slipped in my drink," she said. Then she glared at Dick. "Actually, I was drugged because of you!"

Weevil got up and moved closer to Dick. "He drugged you, so you could be raped at some party?" he asked in anger and disbelief. "These are people you want to hang out with?"

Veronica closed her eyes a moment, wondering how the evening had already unraveled and she was put in the position of defending Dick. She looked at Weevil. "Duncan didn't rape me. He was as much a victim as I was."

"Wait a minute," Duncan said, looking at Logan in anger. "You put GHB in my drink? Are you f**** kidding me? I actually thought I was pathetic enough to sleep with my sister!"

"Dude, you did!" Dick added gleefully. Cassidy looked sick at the fight he had inadvertently caused.

"I didn't put you in bed with Veronica! Nor did I have a clue on why you two broke up! I thought she did something awful! Why do you think I turned on her?" Logan asked. "We were all friends!"

"You have a messed up definition of friendship!" Weevil interjected. "Friends don't turn on each other without a real reason."

Logan looked guilty at the reminder and gave Veronica a sad look. She grabbed his hand to let him know she was past it. "You were so bummed after Lilly died. I was just trying to get you to loosen up and have a good time. I didn't know you'd end up in bed with Veronica. Nor did I know what you suspected because you shut me out," Logan reminded him.

"Okay, let's not talk about this. It's embarrassing and uncomfortable for both Duncan and me. He is involved with Meg, and I'm with Logan. Duncan had a little trouble letting go, but he's over it. Right?" Veronica prompt, looking at Duncan.

"Yes. Of course!" Duncan said in aggravation.

"I, for one, am grateful it was Duncan and not some other guy who I didn't know or care about," Veronica said. "Duncan and I meant something to each other. Dick tried to get Cassidy to have sex with me. I'm just glad he was more decent than his brother!"

Veronica should have realized how that comment would've affected Weevil. Hearing that Dick tried to get his brother to take advantage of a drugged Veronica made him very angry. He charged Dick, who held up his hands. "I thought she was drunk! I didn't know she was drugged! I didn't know Madison gave her drink to Veronica!" he exclaimed.

However, it didn't stop Weevil from punching him. Weevil looked contemptuously at Logan. "You should've been the one who did that!" Veronica grabbed his arm and pulled him away.

Logan felt deeply ashamed at that look. Weevil was right. He had basically ignored what Dick did because he would've been a complete hypocrite. He'd been drinking shots off her inebriated body. Weevil would probably rip his head of if he knew that particular detail, and Logan would probably let him.

Dick gave Logan a repentant look. "I am sorry. I really didn't think Beav would touch her, and he didn't. Did you, Beav?" Dick asked, looking at his brother.

"I left the room a few minutes after you left me in there with her," Cassidy said quickly. He neglected to mention that he went back into the room after he saw Duncan leave her.

"This is my fault. Not yours," Logan explained. "I'm the one who made it okay for people to mess with her. Lilly's death messed all of us up."

In the next room, Veronica was trying to calm Weevil down. "I appreciate you wanting to punch out Dick on my behalf, but I've moved passed it. Logan was an ass. I was a bitch, and Dick is, well, Dick is a moron," she said.

"I don't get you, V. How can you be around these people? Why would you want to?" he asked, honestly not understanding.

Veronica sighed. "Weevil, I know it's hard for you to understand. You don't really know Logan. You forget I've been friends with him since we were twelve. I know him. He lashes out when he's in pain, but he's a loyal friend. He thought I'd hurt Duncan. Lilly died, and he was lost. He felt betrayed when I supported my dad in his suspicions against the Kanes. He didn't hit Dick because he feels responsible," Veronica explained.

"He _is_ responsible!" Weevil reminded her.

"You know, I don't judge you or your life. I've never looked down on you for being a PCHer. You've spent enough time around Logan to know there's more to him. You know how much he cares about me," Veronica said.

Weevil shook his head. "You must really love him," Weevil observed. "To forgive all the shit he put you through."

Veronica looked surprised. She opened her mouth to deny it. Then she closed it, not sure if she could deny it. Finally, she said, "Logan has been through a lot. He's changed. We've all changed since Lilly died."

"I haven't. You don't treat your friends the way those people treated you," Weevil said quietly. "You are a better person than me."

"I'm not. It's just that I try to give people a chance. I see more than everyone sees. I saw it in you. I see it in them. Or some of them," Veronica explained. "Let's not talk about this anymore. We came here to have a good time. I want you to stay. I want you and Logan to be friends. You and I are friends, and he's important to me," she said.

Weevil shrugged. "I'll stay. But I can't make any promises," Weevil said.

Veronica knew that was the best she was going to get, so she nodded. They went back into the living room. Mac had joined them. "Watch Dick with Mac. He can be decent. He treats her with respect, and she's not an 09er," Veronica said.

"Because she's your friend, and he's afraid of you," Weevil replied.

"True. But that's not why. Just watch him, and you'll see," she said. "It makes me think maybe there's hope for him after all."

They joined the group. Dick eyed Weevil warily and gave him a wide berth. Weevil watched him tease Mac and his brother. Cassidy rolled his eyes, and Mac laughed. The doorbell rang. Meg, Wallace, and some cute blonde girl came in.

Veronica introduced Hannah to everyone. She gave them all a shy smile.

Weevil overheard Dick say to Wallace, "Nice!" He pounded him on the back and grinned widely at Wallace, eying Hannah with admiration.

"Okay, everyone's here. Where's this fun you promised me?" Logan asked tiredly. "So far, it's not been fun at all."

Veronica explained to Meg, "You missed some excitement. Weevil hit Dick, defending my honor."

Meg's eyebrow raised. "Your honor needs defending?" she asked.

Wallace snickered. "Weevil just likes hitting 09ers. Veronica's just an excuse," Wallace said, thinking of the first time he'd met Logan.

"True," Weevil replied with a grin.

"I'm going to make us some margaritas," Duncan said.

When Dick looked surprised, Duncan added, "Lilly taught me how." He turned to Meg, "Do you wanna help?"

She got up and followed him in the kitchen. "I can't drink, but I'll help," she said.

"I will make some non-alcoholic, too," he said. They walked to the kitchen. Duncan knew the place pretty well. "I wish you'd let me pick you up."

"I can drive," Meg said.

"I know, but I would've like to have picked you up and spend more time with you," Duncan clarified.

"We're spending time together now," she said. She got the blender out of a cabinet and sat it on the counter. Duncan opened the fridge and got out the ingredients. They began to make the mix. "We'll have two pitchers. One with alcohol and one without," Duncan said.

Meg looked through the cabinets until she found some pitchers. She sat them down on the counter.

"Meg, I know I broke up with you, but I want us to be together again," he said.

"Because I'm pregnant or because Veronica's still with Logan?" she asked pointedly, causing him to wince.

Duncan took a deep breath. "Okay, I'll admit it took me a while to get over Veronica. I was holding onto this fantasy I envisioned. She's not that girl anymore. And yes, her moving on has something to do with it. But also, I get it. We don't belong together, and she makes Logan a better person. He needs her," Duncan said. "She'll always be important to me. We grew up together. All my memories of my sister are tied to her."

"I know that," Meg said softly. "I just don't want to feel like I'm second choice. I deserve better than that."

"I know you do, but I want to be with you," Duncan said.

"Let's just take it slow. Spend some time together," she said. "But don't make assumptions. Just because I'm pregnant with your baby doesn't mean I'm going to just fall in your arms. Having this baby is changing me already. I can't be weak anymore because I have my baby to think of."

" _Our_ baby," he reminded her.

She smiled. "Our baby," she agreed.

Duncan smiled at her concession and leaned down to kiss her. She let him because she did love the stupid man after all.

"I thought you were making drinks! Not making out!" Dick said as he came into the kitchen and saw them kissing. They pulled apart, and Meg blushed. Dick grinned and winked at her.

"We are. We have two pitchers. One with alcohol and one without," Duncan said.

"What's a margarita without the alcohol?" Dick said.

"I can't drink," Meg reminded him.

They carried the drinks into their friends. Wallace was telling Hannah about how Veronica had saved him from the PCHers torment and framed Logan at the same time. Logan listened with interest. He never knew exactly how Veronica pulled off the feat.

"That's why you planted the bong in my locker? It was a decoy to cause a fire?" he asked incredulous.

Weevil was laughing. "I didn't connect the events," he admitted.

"She's an evil genius," Wallace said with admiration.

"You mess with the bull, you get the horns," Veronica said, flashing the horn sign with a grin.

"I like messing with the bull," Logan said to her. He bent down and kissed her neck, causing her to giggle.

Hannah watched the two of them. It was obvious that they were the IT couple. Logan adored her. "Things seemed to have worked out with them," Hannah observed.

"Yeah, they're odd. Most normal couples don't get each other arrested before dating," Wallace said dryly.

Logan looked up and grinned. "Foreplay," he said.

Veronica looked outraged. "Foreplay? Is that what you're calling it?" she demanded.

"In elementary school, I would've pulled your hair," Logan said with a rueful grin.

"And Lilly would've made you cry in retaliation by kicking you in your little boy parts," Veronica replied.

Duncan laughed, picturing it. "Yeah, she would've. She was a tigress where you were concerned," he said.

Dick didn't want them going down the Lilly road and getting all depressed, so he said quickly, "Drinks are ready. For those non-drinkers, we have non-alcoholic drinks."

Everyone got up to get a drink. Mac and Veronica both went to grab a non-alcoholic drink. "Come on, ladies! One drink won't kill you!" Dick begged. "Duncan made them, so you know they're safe."

They looked at each other. "I'm game if you are," Mac said.

Veronica shrugged. "One drink is fine," she said, taking a real one.

Meg, Hannah, and Wallace each grabbed a non-alcoholic drink. Hannah gave Wallace a pleased smile at his gesture. "My mom will be smelling my breath when I get home. She's no dummy."

"Dude, your mom cares? That must be nice," Dick commented.

Weevil looked at him, thinking he was making a joke. Then Dick continued, "Our mom barely remembers to call us on our birthday." He looked at his brother. "Your birthday's coming up soon. Think she'll remember?"

Cassidy shrugged, obviously embarrassed. Veronica stepped in, "Well, at least you know where your mom is. I can't say the same."

"Dude, that's harsh," Dick observed.

"How about we talk about something less depressing? World hunger anybody?" Logan quipped.

They laughed. "So are you moving out of Weevil's now that you're free?" Dick asked.

Logan shrugged. "I don't know. Mrs. Navarro makes really good pancakes," he said with a grin.

Weevil smiled. "That's true," he said.

"You could probably stay here if you wanted," Dick offered.

"Not after Veronica gets a look at Dad's new woman," Cassidy interjected.

Wallace looked interested. "She's that hot?" he asked.

"Hot doesn't begin to describe her. Sex on a stick," Dick said with a grin.

"Logan will _not_ be staying here!" Veronica declared firmly, causing them to laugh.

"My grandmother likes having someone else to fuss over," Weevil said, not wanting Logan to think he needed to leave. "It keeps her off my back."

"Yeah, siblings are good for that," Wallace added.

"So are you guys like brothers now?" Dick asked with a snicker.

"Brothers from another mother," Veronica said with a swagger. Logan groaned while Wallace laughed at her, always finding her amusing.

"Don't encourage her," Logan said to Wallace.

"He gets me," Veronica said, flashing Wallace a pleased smile.

"I get you," Logan protested. Then he whispered into her ear, "But I want you more."

Veronica blushed and pushed him away. He gave her a heated look. Trying to act casual, she took a sip of her drink. Dick finished off his drink and grabbed a bottle of beer. "Beer anyone?" Weevil raised his hand. Dick tossed him a drink.

"We should play a drinking game," Dick said. "'I Never' is a good one,"

"We already know too much about each other," Logan said.

"No. We have some new members. What better way to get to know each other," Dick said with a grin.

"How does this game work?" Mac asked curious.

"Someone says something they've never done. If you've done it, you have to take a drink. Like if I said, 'I've never went skydiving, but you have, you'd take a drink or anyone else that had went skydiving," Dick explained.

Mac said, "That could be fun."

"It can also be embarrassing," Veronica said, remembering the last time she played it with Duncan, Logan, and Lilly. Duncan smiled at her, remembering. Logan squeezed her hand, knowing what they were thinking about.

"Like you get embarrassed," Wallace said. "We should play it."

"Not with non-alcoholic drinks," Dick said. "Everyone but Meg has to have a beer at least. That's the whole point."

Wallace looked questioningly at Hannah. She nodded. "As long as we stop after the first person finishes off a bottle." Those terms were agreeable to everyone, so everyone sat around in a loose circle around the room, holding a bottle of beer. Cassidy gave Meg a bottle of root beer, so she could pretend to be playing it the way they were.

Dick grinned eagerly. "I'll start," he said. "I've never NOT had sex!"

"You just had to start with that!" Veronica complained.

Logan put his arm around her. "At least he got it over with," Logan said.

"All virgins take a drink!" Dick ordered. Wallace, Mac, and Hannah all took a drink. Dick looked at his brother in surprise. "Beav! I'm so proud! Who was the lucky girl?" he asked.

"Knock it off, Dick!" Cassidy ordered in annoyance. He cast a quick look at Mac, whose face was flushed in embarrassment.

Dick shrugged and look for a new target. He grinned at Wallace and Hannah. "Dude, you're going to have to date sluttier girls if you ever want to have sex!" he told Wallace.

"Ignore him. He's an idiot," Veronica said to Hannah. "My turn. I have never had sex with Madison Sinclair." Dick grinned and took a drink.

Logan said, "I never flunked freshman English." He smiled at Dick, who shrugged and took another drink. So did Wallace and Weevil.

Veronica looked at Wallace in surprise. "Just one semester. Before I came to Neptune," Wallace said defensively. Then he said, "I've never played golf." Everyone but Mac and Weevil took a drink.

"Not even miniature?" Cassidy asked in surprise.

"My dad thinks it's not a real sport," Mac replied. "However, I've never NOT missed a NASCAR championship race." Everyone laughed and took a drink.

Cassidy said, "I've never been camping." Mac smiled and stuck out her tongue at him; she had told him all about her summer camping trips her parents always dragged her on. "And passing out outside doesn't count!

Dick grinned and took a drink. "I went camping once with Luke," Dick said.

Meg, Mac, and Hannah also took a drink. Meg looked at Hannah. "Girl Scouts?" she asked. Hannah nodded.

"Veronica tried to convince Lilly to sign up for Girl Scouts. Lilly said she'd rather die than spend time in the woods without electricity," Duncan shared.

Veronica smiled. "She pushed me toward soccer because the guy she was crushing on played. But then she quit after our first game! She found sweating to be too unattractive," Veronica said in fond remembrance.

Weevil said, "I've never played any organized sports." Everyone but Mac took a drink. Mac smiled at Weevil, flashing her dimple. Weevil blinked in surprise. Veronica's weird little friend was really cute, especially when she smiled.

Hannah said, "I've never been to Mexico." Everyone but Wallace took a drink. Wallace smiled at her, happy they had something else in common.

Mac said, "I've never been to Canada." No one but Veronica, Logan, Duncan took a drink.

"Lilly convinced our dad we needed to go to Niagara Falls over Spring Break freshmen year," Duncan explained.

Logan and Veronica both smiled as they remembered. "Lilly said she'd never kissed a Canadian and insisted we cross the border for dinner," Veronica shared.

"Did she?" Wallace asked. Veronica never talked much about Lilly to him. It was a sore subject.

Logan frowned, recalling how jealous he'd been. "Yes. She loved to make me crazy," he said. They were silent a moment, lost in memories.

Then Duncan said, "I've never dyed my hair." All the girls and Dick took a drink.

"Okay, I'm out," Dick said, tipping his drink to show it was empty. Then he got a look in his eye as something occurred to him. "We can use this bottle to play spin the bottle!"

"We're not twelve," Veronica said, rolling her eyes.

"Afraid to kiss me again?" Dick teased.

Weevil looked incredulously at Veronica. "It was a game of truth or dare. Wallace dared me to kiss him," she explained to Weevil.

Weevil looked at Wallace. "And I thought you were her friend," he said in disgust.

Veronica grinned. "That's what I said!" she told him, looking pointedly at Wallace.

"You don't know what truth she revealed about me!" he explained in defense.

"He knows all the songs to the musical _Grease_ ," Dick shared gleefully. Weevil snickered.

Hannah turned to Wallace. "I love that movie!" she told him with a pleased smile. Wallace perked up, smiling back at her in relief.

"So let's get in a circle," Dick ordered, pushing a table out of the way to clear space. He sat down on the floor.

"I'm not kissing no guys!" Weevil said with a frown.

"Me neither. So only kissing the opposite sex," Logan said.

"Let's not be rash," Wallace said with a grin, looking at Hannah and Meg suggestively.

Hannah giggled, and Meg rolled her eyes. "If you're not willing to kiss Dick, I'm not going to kiss Hannah," Meg informed Wallace, earning a laugh from everyone else.

Logan grabbed the bottle from Dick. "I'm going first," he declared. He had mastered this game at a young age. He spun the bottle, making sure it stopped on Veronica. He gave her a smug smile and planted a hot kiss on her, earning whistles and cat calls.

"Whew! I can really get into this game!" Veronica said with a satisfied smile. She spun the bottle, and it stopped on Weevil. Logan's eyes got dark, and he glared in warning at Weevil, who smiled in pleasure.

"Finally!" Weevil joked. He met her halfway in the circle, glancing at Logan. Deciding to put Logan out of his misery, he kissed her on her cheek. Veronica smiled in approval as Dick protested.

"Shut up, Dick!" Logan ordered with a glare. Dick subsided with a grumble.

"Your turn," Veronica prompt.

Weevil spun the bottle, and it stopped on Mac. Now this was more like it. She was cute and single. Or at least more single than Veronica and Meg. She looked a bit freaked but gamely moved toward Weevil. Weevil gave her that slow smiles of his that only succeeded in making her more nervous. She never knew what to think of Veronica's rough friend, but he made her very nervous. However, she was determined to not chicken out. She survived a kiss with Duncan Kane. Surely, she could survive Weevil. Weevil placed a soft kiss on her lips. She opened her eyes in surprise and connected with his. Her eyes widened in response. He grinned and quickly moved back. Both Dick and Cassidy frowned at the sight; neither liking the idea of Mac's lips being touched by the former gang leader.

"So it's my turn?" Mac asked, trying to sound much calmer than she felt. She couldn't resist looking once more at Weevil whose eyes never left hers.

"Yes," Dick said.

Mac spun the bottle, and it stopped on Cassidy. Mac wanted to die. She didn't want their first kiss to be with so many spectators. Looking at Cassidy, she could tell he felt the same way. However, Dick was grinning and pounding his brother on the back. Cassidy was sitting next to Mac, so he just turned and leaned down. He kissed her quickly and retreated. Dick laughed. "Come one, Beav, you can do better than that!" he protested.

Cassidy ignored his brother and spun the bottle. It landed on Hannah, the new girl. She was really cute. Cassidy thought he was going to throw up. He took a drink of his beer, hoping to find some courage. Hannah made it easy, however. She leaned over and kissed him. She gave him a shy smile, and he smiled back in relief.

"My turn," she said. She spun the bottle, and it stopped on Logan. Logan smiled easily at her. He was too good-looking. She gave Wallace a nervous smile. "It's okay. He doesn't bite," Wallace assured her.

They met halfway, and Logan gave her a light kiss on the lips. Hannah looked a bit dazed at the experience, causing the guys to laugh. Veronica said, "Dial back the hotness, sugar lips. I don't want you breaking any hearts this year."

"I can't help it. You bring out the hotness in me," he said, kissing her.

"Cut it out, you two!" Wallace complained. "It's your turn again, Logan."

"And don't make it fall on Ronnie!" Dick ordered.

Logan grinned and gave it a spin, not caring. It stopped on Meg. He smiled and leaned in and gave her a loud smack on the lips, causing her to laugh.

"My turn," she said. It spun and landed on Duncan.

"Finally!" he said, happy. He turned and kissed her, reminding her that she was special to him. She gave him a bemused look when he pulled away.

"Luckily, she's already knocked-up!" Dick said. Every one of his friends turned and glared at him.

Hannah, the only who didn't know, opened her mouth in surprise. Meg sighed in resignation. "Yes, I'm pregnant. Yes, Duncan is the father. It's not really a secret. Our parents know," Meg told her.

"However, it'd been nice if Meg had been the one to share it. It's her news, Dick!" Veronica yelled.

"Sorry," Dick said, looking apologetic. "I didn't know she didn't know."

Duncan shook his head, used to Dick. He reached out and spun the bottle. It landed on Veronica. He decided to follow Weevil's wise example and kissed her cheek. Veronica pouted. "Okay, does my breath smell? I appreciate you and Weevil trying to be tactful, but I'm starting to feel unkissable," she complained.

"Well, I can fix that!" Logan assured her. He reached over and pulled her into his lap, ignoring the twinge from his shoulder. He gave her a thorough kiss. He grinned down at her. "Totally kissable," he said in satisfaction. Then he leaned down and whispered into her ear, "Totally doable, too."

"Okay, Romeo, we get it," Weevil complained this time.

Veronica blushed and got off his lap to spin the bottle. It landed on Wallace, who groaned. "Not going to happen!" Wallace said. "I vote we end this game now!"

"I second it!" Mac and Cassidy said at the same time. They shared a smile.

"Hey, I didn't get to kiss anyone!" Dick protested. Duncan got up and planted a loud kiss on his lips, causing the group to laugh uproariously. Dick was stunned silent for a full moment before he started wiping his mouth. "Not cool, dude! Not cool at all!"

Duncan grinned. "You said you didn't get a kiss. I was just being a good friend," Duncan said.

Logan and Veronica shared a look, both thinking how long it'd been since they'd seen Duncan in a playful mood. Too long. This was the guy they had both loved to be around. The guy they thought was gone forever when Lilly died. Veronica's eyes misted over. Logan reached out and squeezed her hand in understanding. Then he pulled Veronica back into his lap and continued kissing her.

Meg jumped up. "Let's listen to some music and dance!" she suggested.

Weevil decided he had enough and slipped away unnoticed. Or rather he tried to slip away. Dick noticed. "Weevil, you can't leave yet!" Dick shouted as he almost made it out of the room.

"I don't dance," he said.

Mac smiled at him in understanding. "Me either. Cassidy and I were going to go to his room and play Halo. You can join us if you want. You can play the winner, which will be me!" Mac boasted.

Cassidy opened his mouth to protest her arrogant claim. He didn't mind Weevil's presence because he got really nervous when he was alone with Mac. He figured another person would make things easier. However, when Weevil shrugged and followed after them, Dick had to comment. "Dude, you're never going to get past first base if you always have other guys around!" he hollered after them.

Weevil looked at Cassidy and Mac, who both were obviously embarrassed. "Do you want me to hit him again?" he asked them.

"Yes!" they both said.

"Shut the hell up, Dick, before I shut you up!" Weevil said casually to Dick, who looked alarmed at the threat. He looked to Logan for help.

"Don't look at me," Logan said. "You got to learn to think before you open your mouth, dude." He and Veronica watched the trio disappear. "Is that the oddest trio you've ever seen or what?"

Veronica nodded. "It really is," she replied with a smile. "At least he found someone that he can tolerate."

"You don't think Weevil likes Mac, do you?" Logan asked as the thought occurred to him. Mac had been noticeably affected by Weevil's kiss.

Veronica looked thoughtful a moment. Then she shrugged. "It's too soon to tell. This is the first time they've really spent time around each other," she said. "I'd rather Weevil like her than Dick. Dick is a bit too interested in what she's doing. Notice his frown when he saw Mac walk off with Weevil."

Logan had noticed, but he had thought it was because Weevil threatened him. "She's better off with Beaver," Logan decided.

"Maybe," Veronica said. However, she couldn't help thinking about what Cassidy said earlier about seeing Duncan leave her at Shelly's party. When Veronica had questioned him about it, he had failed to mention that particular detail. Surprise details like that really bugged her. She was going to have to ask him about it sometime. The thought that Cassidy might've saw her and Duncan having sex made her sick.

Logan noticed her sudden tension and rubbed her shoulders. "Don't worry. Mac is smart enough to handle all three of them," Logan said, misunderstanding her sudden tension.

Veronica pushed her depressing thoughts away and nodded. "Yes, she is," she replied. She looked up at Logan. "Why don't you feed me?"

"Dick, where's the food?" Logan asked.

Dick looked confused for a moment. Then he yelled, "Beaver!"

Upstairs, Cassidy sighed in resignation as he paused the game. "Let me go see what the baboon is yelling about," he said, getting up and leaving Mac alone with Weevil.

Mac's relaxation left as soon as he got up. She had never been alone with the former PCHer, but she gave Weevil a shy smile.

Weevil looked curious and asked, "So are you and Dick's brother a couple?"

Mac wasn't sure how to reply. She shrugged. "We've went out once. He's sweet and really smart," she said.

Weevil got up and sat down next to her on Cassidy's bed. Mac gave him a questioning look, not suspecting his motives. "So you don't consider him your boyfriend?" Weevil asked, trying to clarify whether or not she was single.

"It's kind of soon for that," Mac said.

"So it wouldn't be cheating if I kissed you?" Weevil asked, giving her a slow smile.

Mac's mouth fell open in shock. "You..you want to kiss me?" she asked flabbergasted.

"I thought our first kiss was nice, didn't you?" Weevil asked.

"Well...uh...I..um..I guess," she finally spit out, feeling like she'd fallen down a rabbit hole or something. Then she admitted, "I haven't really kissed very many guys."

"Me either," he said, grinning.

Mac smiled at his attempt to put her at ease. "There it is! That dimple of yours! It's the sexiest thing," Weevil observed in admiration.

Mac seemed startled at the praise. Weevil decided that they had talked enough, and the young brother might return. He leaned in and kissed her. He kept the kiss light, not wanting to scare her. He just wanted a taste. Her sweetness and innocence was refreshing. It had been a long time since he had looked twice at any girl so inexperienced, but Mac surprised him by returning his kiss. He started to pull away, and she put her hand on his cheek. He opened her eyes, and she was staring at him. Her intelligence and penetrating gaze drew him in even as it unsettled him. He kept his eyes locked on hers and pressed his lips back onto hers. Just when he decided to deepen it, he heard footsteps coming back toward them. He quickly pulled back and sat in the seat he'd been in when Cassidy left.

"Sorry, but I'm forgot to order the pizza, and I forgot we have to go pick up the Chinese food I did order. It's probably cold by now, but we can nuke it," Cassidy said. "Do you want to go with me? Or drive to get the food?"

Mac glanced at Weevil, who shrugged. "I'm cool," he said.

"Okay..uh..thanks..um, did you want to come?" Mac asked, feeling awkward and a bit freaked.

"No. I'm good," Weevil said, giving her another slow smile.

Mac could feel her face heat, and she quickly turned away and followed Cassidy down the stairs. Weevil followed after them at a much slower pace.

Veronica watched the trio walk down the stairs with interest. Cassidy looked harassed. Since she witnessed Dick ridiculing him for getting sidetracked with the food ordering, she knew why he was upset. Mac, however, looked frazzled and flushed. Veronica's eyebrow went up. She elbowed Logan. "Watch," she ordered pointing at the stairs. Weevil appeared at the top of the stairs looking very pleased.

"What am I watching?" Logan asked.

"Mac looks freaked, and Weevil looks a bit too smug," Veronica said. When Weevil got down to the bottom of the stairs, and Mac and Cassidy left to get the food, Veronica crooked her finger at him.

Weevil went over to her. "Yeah?" he asked casually.

"What's going on?" Veronica asked suspiciously.

"Nothing. Why?" Weevil asked.

"Mac looked disturbed, and you look too pleased with yourself. What's going on?" Veronica asked.

Logan looked closely at him and grinned. "You put the moves on Mac, didn't you?" he asked Weevil.

Veronica looked around to make sure no one was close enough to overhear. "What happened?" she demanded.

"I don't kiss and tell," Weevil replied, grinning. Then he walked off before Veronica could give him the third degree.

Veronica's mouth opened in amazement, and she turned to Logan. Logan started laughing. "Don't look at me! He's your friend!" Logan reminded her. "You insisted that he come."

Veronica was speechless. Never would she have suspected that Weevil would be interested in Mac.

**** _Chapter End****_

_When I first wrote this, the Mac/Weevil interaction was completely unplanned. Keep in mind they all were drinking and a bit more uninhibited than normal. Strange things come over me whenever I write Weevil. I'm not sure how I feel about it. There's a lot in this chapter, so please review! Logan and Veronica are much closer in this story at this point than on the show, so Veronica is able to use her influence to convince Logan NOT to destroy the tapes, which he did do on the show. It was the main reason Logan’s father got off without a conviction._


	25. A Day at the Beach

_*****The Next Day (Saturday)*****_

Logan woke up much earlier than he wanted to do the argument in the hall.

"You ask him!" Tony said.

"You said it first. You ask him. He likes you better," Jordan said.

There was a knock on Logan's bedroom door. He sighed and sat up. "Come in," he said.

Weevil's two little brothers peered inside. "Logan, we wanted to ask you something," Jordan said hesitantly.

"You couldn't have waited until I got up to ask it?" Logan grumbled.

"Told you!" Jordan said to his little brother.

Since Tony looked like he was going to cry, Logan said, "It's okay. What's up?"

"Can you teach us to surf?" Jordan asked.

Logan's mouth opened in surprise. Tony added, "Eli said you's were a spoiled, rich surfer dude. We wanna be spoiled, rich surfer dudes, too."

Logan grinned. Tony was so adorable. "Well, I can't make you rich. That's kind of up to you. When you get to be an adult, you can be rich. But sure. I can teach you how to surf," Logan said.

"Cool!" Jordan said excitedly.

"I'll go tell Eli!" Tony said happily.

Tony ran across the hall. Since Eli was his brother, he didn't bother knocking. He flung open the door and jumped on the bed. "Eli! Wake up! We're going surfing!" he shouted.

Logan was opening the bathroom door and heard Tony's announcement. He stepped back and poked his head into Weevil's room. Weevil was glaring at his baby brother. "Haven't I told you not to wake me up before nine on Saturdays? Why won't you listen?" Weevil scolded. He grabbed his brother and put him in a headlock and gave him a noogie. Tony giggled. It was obvious he wasn't afraid of Weevil.

"Logan's gonna teach us how to surf!" Tony said, bouncing on the bed.

Weevil looked up and saw Logan. He gave him a questioning glance. "They asked if I could teach them. I said yes, but I didn't say _now_ ," Logan reply. "I didn't realize they meant now. I don't know if I can go swimming yet."

Tony looked so disappointed that Logan added, "I could call Dick. He could go with us."

Tony cheered and jumped off the bed to go tell Jordan. Weevil looked at Logan. "You want to take them surfing? Are you nuts? Have you ever spent time with two kids under ten?" Weevil asked.

Logan shrugged. "No. But Dick's one of my best friends. How could they possibly be worse?" Logan pointed out.

Weevil grinned and shook his head. "Good point. But they don't have any surf boards," Weevil said.

"Not a problem. We can pick some up. Nothing Dick likes more than going to a surf shop. He can take them into the water. I can show them what to do on the sand," Logan said.

Weevil threw back his covers and put his feet on the floor. He gave Logan a considering look. "We don't need you to buy us stuff," Weevil said carefully.

Logan frowned. "I'm staying in your house, eating your food. Your grandmother won't accept any money from me. How is it a problem for me to buy two surfboards for your brothers?" Logan argued.

Weevil nodded. "Grandma's proud, but you could make a donation to her church on her behalf if you wanted. That's about the only way she'll accept money," Weevil shared.

"The church where a Fitzpatrick is priest? I don't know about that!" Logan said.

"The nuns are in charge of the money anyway, so don't worry," Weevil replied with a grin.

Logan sat down in the chair Weevil had in the corner of his room. "So you survived your first 09er party. And correct me if I'm wrong, but you had a good time," Logan said with a grin.

Weevil returned his grin. "It wasn't too bad," Weevil said. "I've been to worse."

"Veronica's not here, so you gotta tell me. What went down with you and Mac?" Logan asked without beating around the bush.

"She's sweet. I never really noticed her before," Weevil said.

"It's hard to notice other girls when Veronica's around," Logan admitted.

"True. V does sort of demand all the attention in the room," Weevil agreed.

"So what happened? Did you kiss Mac? Or did you say that just to torture Veronica?" Logan inquired.

"Yes, I kissed her during that stupid game we played," Weevil said evasively.

"What happened when you were alone upstairs? She looked pretty freaked when she came down," Logan said.

Weevil didn't answer. He got up and went to his dresser to grab some clothes.

"Come on. Tell me," Logan said. "You can't toy with her, you know. Not only will Veronica make you regret it, but Mac doesn't have much experience."

Weevil turned around and faced him. "I know. I could tell. I'm not going to mess with her," Weevil said. "She just surprised me. That dimple of hers. Her blue stripe. She's not like other girls."

"No, she's not," Logan said. "Remember that purity test everyone did last year that made the school nuts?"

Weevil nodded. "Mac designed that. That's how she bought her new car," Logan shared, grinning.

"No way!" Weevil said in disbelief.

"She's not the one who posted those fake scores of Meg and Veronica, of course," Logan said.

"I couldn't see her being that mean," Weevil said. "But to scam all that money out of 09ers. That's amazing!"

"I don't know her that well, but the more time I spend around her the more impressed I am," Logan said.

"Is she really into Dick's brother?" Weevil asked.

"Do you care?" Logan asked.

"She told me they had just started to see each other and that she liked him," Weevil said.

"Beaver's a good guy. Not as obnoxious as his brother," Logan said. "And he's really smart like her. They have a lot in common."

Weevil nodded. "Don't worry. I'm not going to break up the young lovebirds," Weevil said a bit sourly.

Logan examined him a moment. "I don't want you toying with her, but if you really liked her, that'd be different," Logan said.

Weevil raised an eyebrow. "You wouldn't care?" Weevil asked in surprise.

"Dick would freak, but Mac's a smart girl. She wouldn't waste time with a guy she didn't like," Logan said.

"Well, I don't plan on wasting time with her, so it's a moot point," Weevil said. "I did kiss her again when Cassidy went downstairs. But only because she was there looking sweet and innocent."

"I've been tempted by a sweet and innocent lass many a times," Logan said.

"You dated Lilly Kane for two years, so when did a sweet and innocent tempt you?" Weevil asked curious. "Lilly was neither of those things."

"True," Logan agreed. "I said tempted. See, she had this best friend that _was_ sweet and innocent. When I first came to Neptune, she was the one I noticed first."

"Really?" Weevil asked in surprise. "You liked Veronica before Lilly?"

Logan nodded. "She was twelve and looked really hot in her knee socks," Logan said with a grin. "But Lilly made it clear that Veronica liked Duncan and then started practicing her wiles on me. Who could resist?"

"I couldn't," Weevil admitted.

Logan gave him an angry look. "Maybe you shouldn't remind me," Logan said.

"We should talk about it," Weevil said. "You know by now I didn't have a sister named Lilly. You have to know what my tattoo means."

"You were screwing her, too," Logan said flatly. "I guess screwing my dad wasn't enough for her."

"I don't really understand why Lilly did anything," Weevil admitted. "I never knew why she pursued me. 'Cause it was her that pursued me. She'd tell me that it was over between you two, and I'd always believe her."

"I'm sure it was. We fought a lot. We broke up once a month it seemed like," Logan said. "She loved guys, and I loved her."

"She knew how to make men love her," Weevil said, remembering.

"Did you love her?" Logan asked.

"I don't think I would've gotten that tattoo if I hadn't," he replied. "She made me feel like a man."

"She made me crazy," Logan said. "And I thought that was proof of how passionate we were. How crazy I was about her. Now I know how messed up our relationship was. Being with Veronica has shown me that relationships aren't supposed to tear you up like that. She makes me a better person."

"I know I like you more now," Weevil said with a grin.

Jordan came into the room. "Grandma says come eat," he told them.

As they were leaving his room, Weevil said, "I have to go work a few hours this morning at my uncle's shop. If you want to take them surfing another day when I can be there the whole time, it may be better. Or I can join you later."

"Picking out boards will take some time. Dick is insane about stuff like that. Just come join us when you can. We can go another time when I've been cleared to swim. Then I can teach you how to surf, too!" Logan said with a grin.

"I don't know about that, but I'm jumping in the shower. Tell Grandma I'll be out in a few minutes," Weevil said.

Logan turned to head to the kitchen, the smell of bacon drawing him in. The image of Weevil on a surfboard wouldn't leave his mind. "I'm so going to make that happen some day!" he told himself.

**** _*At Veronica's*_ *****

Veronica was eating a bowl of Captain Crunch when her doorbell rang. She opened it up and smiled. "Hey, Mac! This is a nice surprise. You're up early," Veronica said.

"I couldn't sleep," Mac said as she followed Veronica to a bar stool.

"I bet. Too many guys and not enough Mac!" Veronica teased.

Mac blushed and looked uncomfortable. "Ever since I've become friends with you, my life's become extremely strange. I blame you!" Mac said with a scowl.

Veronica laughed. "I live in the fast lane. What can I say?" she said, giving Mac a cheeky grin. "So tell me what happened with you and Weevil?"

"I still can't believe it. I've been kissed by three different guys this month!" Mac said. "Grant it, only one time was it not during a game, but still. Much more action than I normally see in a year!"

Veronica looked at her. "Oh, so he _did_ kiss you again!" she accused.

Mac smiled shyly. "When Cassidy went downstairs to answer Dick's bellow, Weevil moved and sat down next to me. He asked me if Cassidy was my boyfriend. When I told him it was too soon to call him that, he kissed me," Mac shared.

Veronica grinned. "And how was it?" she asked.

"Well, it's not like I have a lot to compare it to, but it was nice," Mac said, trying to sound like it was no big deal.

"Just nice?" Veronica inquired.

"Okay, it was more than nice, which is why I'm so freaked. How can I possibly be attracted to Weevil?" Mac asked in confusion. "He's a gang member. He has tattoos and drives a motorcycle. My dad would have a heart attack."

"There's more to Weevil than most people think. He's got layers. Any man who loves his grandmother the way Weevil does his can't possibly be bad," Veronica pointed out. "Not to mention he's not in a gang anymore."

"I really like Cassidy. Should I tell him about the kiss with Weevil?" Mac wondered.

"You can like more than one person. I was dating Leo when I first kissed Logan," Veronica shared.

"Did you tell him?" Mac asked.

"Yes. I quit seeing him. He really liked me, and I didn't want to hurt him. I knew that if I felt the same way, I wouldn't have kissed Logan the way I did," Veronica said.

"Weevil did ask me if he could kiss me. He told me my dimple was sexy," Mac said, feeling guilty.

"I wish I had a dimple!" Veronica said enviously. "So you returned the kiss?" Veronica asked, grinning.

Mac flushed. "Yes," she admitted. "But Cassidy came back before it went that far."

"Oh really?" Veronica asked, her eyebrow shooting up. "Did you want it to go further?"

"Well, I wasn't exactly pushing him away. He caught me by surprise, but I probably would've kissed him back if he'd went further," Mac admitted, unable to put into words why she put her hand on his cheek.

"He is pretty hot," Veronica said. "But don't tell Logan I said that. He's just now starting to believe Weevil doesn't have a thing for me."

"I always thought he did," Mac confessed.

"He had a thing for Lilly," Veronica said carefully. "I think that's why he initially took it easy on me. Then I won him over with my charm and winning ways!"

Mac laughed. "Now you're pushing it too far!" Mac said. "He just probably never had a tiny girl like you put him in his place so well or be unafraid of him."

"That may be true," Veronica replied, grinning.

"You still haven't answered me. So should I tell Cassidy?" Mac asked.

"Cassidy doesn't have a lot of experience with girls. If you told him, he'd probably be crushed," Veronica said.

Mac put her head down on her arm. "I'm a slut!" she declared, upset about the whole dilemma.

Veronica patted her on her back. "No, you're not!" she said. "You're just coming into your own. Suddenly, the guys are noticing how awesome you are. Don't beat yourself up over it."

"What should I do then?" Mac asked, raising her head.

"You can either ignore or avoid Weevil and continue dating Cassidy or spend some time with both of them and see which one you like more," Veronica suggested.

"I can't see myself juggling guys," Mac said.

"It's not easy. Guys are very needy," Veronica said. Her phone buzzed. "Case in point." She read the text Logan sent her. "Dick and Logan are going to teach Weevil's little brothers how to surf. He wants to know if I want to join them because he can't swim yet."

"How's he going to teach him how to surf?" Mac asked.

"I don't know," she said. She called Logan. "How are you going to teach surfing when you can't swim?" She listened while Logan explained. "Mac's here...I'll ask. Mac, do you want to come with us?"

Mac looked suspicious. "As long as no one tries to get me on a surfboard," she said.

"We're going to be keeping Logan company," Veronica said.

"I don't want to be a third wheel," Mac said.

"Dick will be there, and he's much more tolerable when you're around," Veronica said.

"Okay," Mac said.

Veronica told Logan that they'd meet him at the beach in an hour. She disconnected. "Logan's on his way to pick up Dick, and they'll go by the surf shop first. So we have lots of time. Dick is like a girl in a shoe store when it comes to buying a surfboard," Veronica said. "I'll get ready, and then we'll go to your place."

"Should we pack a lunch?" Mac suggested.

"Good idea. I'll make some sandwiches, and we can stop and pick up some drinks," Veronica said. She went to her room to get ready.

**** _Two Hours Later_ ****

Dick grinned widely when he saw Mac in her modest black one piece. "Mackie! You came!" he enthused. "We're teaching the little dudes how to surf! I was going to buy you this awesome board I saw, so I could teach you, too, but Logan said you might get upset."

"I said you shouldn't assume. Girls don't like that," Logan clarified.

"They had this perfect board that was black with a blue stripe. Like your hair," Dick said.

"I'm not a strong swimmer. I'd probably drown myself," Mac said.

"We could paddle board or kite surf," Dick suggested. "I can teach you kite surfing. Some people call it wind surfing. I haven't done that in a long time."

"What's kite surfing?" Jordan asked.

"It's where you hold on to a big power kite and float along the water," Dick explained.

"That sounds awesome!" Jordan said excitedly. "I wanna do that!"

"Me, too," Tony said, never wanting to be left out.

Logan smiled at them. "I should've thought of that. We'll get kites some other time. Maybe when your brother Weevil can join us," Logan said.

"Paddle boarding is when you stand on a surfboard and paddle, right?" Veronica asked.

"It's not really a surfboard. It's bigger and thicker," Logan said.

"That may be fun," Veronica said. "We should do that."

"You can rent them down at the stand," Logan told her, pointing.

"Let's watch them first," Mac said.

The girls listened as Logan and Dick explained how to balance on the board. Dick took Jordan out first. Mac, Veronica, and Logan waded in the water to cool off while Tony jumped over waves. He let out a giggle when he saw his brother fall off the board on his first attempt to stand.

"It's not easy learning how to balance," Logan said.

After a half hour of playing in the waves, Veronica dragged Mac down to the stand to find out about paddle boarding. She rented the board for an hour, figuring it could take them a half an hour just to master balancing. After watching Jordan try to learn how to stand on a surfboard, she now had new appreciation for the skill set.

Dick and Jordan came onto the shore as the girls approached, dragging their paddle boat. Dick grinned. "You rented one!" he said, excited.

"No, you can't run off and rent one," Logan said, knowing his friend well. "We have to watch the boys. And it's Tony's turn."

Tony ran and grabbed his board as Jordan asked very politely for something to drink. "Falling off a board wears you out, doesn't it?" Logan said, smiling. He took him over to get a drink out of the cooler. Then he suggested they build a sandcastle, so he could rest up some.

Logan sat down in the sand, facing the water, so he could see the girls try to figure out how to paddle boat. He burst out laughing when Veronica fell off a few feet from shore.

"There you are! I should've known you'd be digging in the sand," Weevil said to his little brother.

Logan looked up. "You're here. Glad you could join us," Logan said.

"The shop was pretty slow today, so my uncle let me off an hour early," Weevil said. He looked out into the water. "Is that Veronica and Mac? What are they doing?"

"Paddle boarding. Or trying to," Logan said, grinning. "Veronica just fell off."

Weevil sat down in one of the empty beach chairs and opened the cooler. He grabbed a can of soda and looked with interest at the water. Tony was balancing on a surfboard with Dick next to him. The girls were closer to the shore, finally finding their balance. They were paddling. "Looks like they figured it out," Weevil observed.

"Have you ever done that?" Logan asked.

"No. None of my friends were really into water sports, so I've not done much besides swim," Weevil admitted.

"Since you're here, I'll go down and rent a second paddle board. We can take a turn. It doesn't require skill really. Just balance. And the board is wider than a surfboard," Logan said.

"Sure. I'll watch Jordan," Weevil said.

"I'm building a sandcastle," Jordan explained.

Weevil got down into the sand next to his brother to help.

Out in the water, Veronica and Mac were paddling toward Dick, who was sitting on his board watching Tony. "You're a natural!" Dick said. Jordan had fell twice already at this point.

"Let's go find a wave!" Tony yelled.

"Well, learning to balance on the board on a wave is much harder," Dick said. He reached over and pushed the board a bit. Tony wobbled and fell off. He came up sputtering.

"Why you do that?" he accused with a frown.

"I wanted to show you how easy it was to fall off," Dick said. He was unaware of the girls’ approach, so was unprepared when Veronica reached out with her paddle and nudged him. A sudden hit freaked him out. He reared back quickly and fell to the side of his board into the water.

Tony grinned up at the laughing girls. "That was awesome!" he said in admiration.

Dick came up and saw them. Instead of speaking, he simply reached out and flipped their board/boat causing both girls to land in the water with a loud splash. Tony giggled.

"Sorry, Mac, but Ronnie deserved it!" Dick said apologetic.

Mac wiped her face. "It's okay. But that doesn't count as my fall!" she told Veronica. She had yet to lose her balance and was quite proud of the fact.

Veronica held the boat steady while Mac climbed back on. Then she followed. They paddled away from Dick and back to shore. When they arrived close to the shore, Veronica realized Logan wasn't alone with Jordan. "Look! Weevil's here!" Veronica yelled so Mac could hear.

Mac wasn't sure how she felt about that. She became very nervous. Veronica was in front, so she hopped off when the boat hit the sand. Mac put her paddle into the sand, so she could balance better and stepped off.

Weevil and Logan were grinning as they approached. "We saw you wipe out," Logan said. Veronica reached in and grabbed a drink from the cooler.

"Dick flipped us," she said in annoyance as she took a drink.

"Didn't you knock him into the water first?" Weevil pointed out, grinning at her.

"Like you would've resisted!" Veronica complained. She sat down in a chair that was next to Logan.

"No. I would've done the same," Weevil replied.

Mac began to feel like she was invisible. Weevil hadn't so much as glanced at her. Feeling awkward, she reached into the cooler to get a drink.

"I rented one, too. Maybe one of you can keep an eye on Jordan while Weevil and I take it out," Logan said.

"Me? I'm not dressed for water," Weevil pointed out. He indicated his long jean shorts. "Besides, should you be getting wet? Grandma will be really upset if you get an infection at this point."

"We will avoid Dick and not tip over," Logan said confidently. "Come on!"

When Weevil hesitated, Veronica teased, "What are you scared? The big, bad PCHer scared of a little water?"

"That's former PCHer," Logan corrected with a smirk.

"Fine. Whatever. I can handle a paddle boat!" Weevil insisted. He walked over and grabbed the two paddles. "You're carrying the boat!"

Logan grinned. "Get out your phone, Mac, and video tape this moment!" Logan said to her.

Mac got out her phone. Weevil glanced at her finally but didn't comment. She frowned, unsure of why he was ignoring her. When they walked off, she videotaped their jaunt. "Is Weevil mad at me?" she asked Veronica as she filmed the boys get on the boat without mishap.

Veronica frowned. "Why would he be?" she asked surprised.

"Well, he barely looked at me. He didn't say a word either, not even hello," Mac said. She was used to being ignored. However, since school had been out for the summer, she'd gotten used to being surrounded by friends.

Veronica thought about it and realized Mac was right. "I don't know what's up with him, but I doubt he's mad at you," Veronica said.

"Then why would he ignore me?" Mac asked confused and slightly hurt.

"Maybe he's feeling shy after the kiss," Veronica suggested.

"Weevil shy?" Mac said doubtfully.

"You never said anything to him either," Veronica pointed out.

Mac acknowledged that was true. She stopped her video when Dick and Tony approached. Dick was grinning proudly. "Tony's a natural!" Dick said.

Veronica and Mac congratulated him. He preened and then joined his brother in the sand.

"Where did Logan go?" Dick asked.

"He rented a paddle boat. He and Weevil are on it now," Veronica said, pointing.

Dick looked out, frowning. He wasn't sure how he felt about Logan doing something with Weevil. Not used to feeling jealous, he didn't recognize his own emotions.

Mac, always sensitive to others, picked up on his feelings of being left out. "Would you like to go out with me on ours?" she asked him.

Dick grinned. "Awesome!"

"You don't mind, do you?" Mac asked Veronica.

"Not at all. I'll hang with the boys here," she said. "I'm going to show them how it's done!" The boys grinned and handed her a shovel.

Dick picked up the paddle boat while Mac grabbed the paddles. "I'm totally going to make Beaver jealous when I get home! He should've came. I didn't know you were going to be with us," Dick said.

"I was over at Veronica's when Logan called and asked her to come," Mac said. "We'll have to come again with Cassidy."

They made it to the water. Dick held it steady while she got on. He followed and pushed off with the paddle. "I haven't done this since I was a kid," Dick said. "Surfing's more exciting."

Mac looked back slightly to see him. The boat wobbled. "Woa! Careful!" Dick cautioned.

"I guess I'll have to talk without looking at you," Mac said. "Sorry!"

"The wind is low today, so I can hear you," Dick said.

"I'm not a strong enough swimmer to surf," Mac said.

"You could totally handle kite surfing. We'll have to try that sometime. I could never talk Beaver into it, but I bet he'd do it if you were going, too!" Dick said grinning at the thought.

Mac smiled. Dick was always trying to push his brother into doing things. Cassidy hated it and thought Dick was a big bully. However, Mac could see that it wasn't cruelty or malice that motivated him. Dick was a social creature and didn't understand Cassidy's desire to be alone. Mac understood it, so she could sympathize with Cassidy. Her mom was like Dick. She loved being in the middle of people and forever bemoaned the fact that Mac hated most social activities. She had been really happy that Mac's social life had picked up since school started.

"That might be fun," she said. "We should throw a surprise party for Cassidy's birthday."

Dick smiled widely. He loved any excuse to throw a party. "That'd rock! His birthday is next week. Ronnie's is coming up, too. We can throw another one for her!" he exclaimed.

"I don't think Veronica would like one. Cassidy probably won't either, but we can make sure it's the kind of party he'd like," Mac said. She noticed Logan and Weevil paddling a little bit ahead of them.

"Beaver keeps a journal on his laptop. Maybe you can hack into and see what he's thinking about for his birthday," Dick suggested.

"I don't think invading his privacy is a good idea," Mac said, uncomfortable with the idea. She pointed. "There's Logan and Weevil. Do you want to catch up with them?"

Dick did, so they paddled faster. "We totally gotta tip them over!" he yelled.

Mac thought it was a good idea. Weevil could use a good dunking. "I second that!" she said in agreement.

They came up behind them. Before the two boys realized they were there, they were alongside them. Mac lifted her paddle and push Logan while Dick did the same to Weevil. Both boys were caught off balance and fell into the ocean with a splat. Dick and Mac quickly put their oars back into the water to paddle away before they could retaliate. Their wave and laughter were all Weevil and Logan saw when they surfaced.

"I'm going to kill Dick!" Weevil shouted in anger.

"Well, Mac was obviously a willing participant, too," Logan said. He got back on the boat.

Weevil's jean shorts weighed him down, and Logan reached out and pulled him up. They sat on the boat glaring out at the other boat that already was heading back to shore. "I didn't really see Mac as being the type," Weevil said.

"Dick has that effect on people," Logan said knowingly. "Sorry about that. We were doing so well, too." He carefully got up and held out his hand to help Weevil to his feet. They started back to the shore.

When their boat hit the sand, Logan picked one end up and Weevil the other. "I hope this hasn't turned you off from water sports. You gotta give surfing a try," Logan encouraged.

"Maybe," Weevil said noncommittally.

When they approached their friends, they could hear Veronica yelling at Mac and Dick for getting Logan wet. Mac looked stricken with guilt, but Dick was nonplussed. "Dude, he shouldn't have got on the water if he didn't want to get wet, so you need to chillax!" Dick said to Veronica, obviously unrepentant.

When they saw Logan and Weevil, Mac went to Logan. "Logan, I totally forgot about your injuries. I hope you're okay!" she offered. She didn't say a word to Weevil.

"I'm wet, too," Weevil said sourly. She gave him a quick glance but didn't say a word to him. Weevil felt himself getting annoyed. What was wrong with her? She wouldn't even look at him.

"It's okay, Mac. I got my stitches out yesterday, so it's probably okay," Logan said. "I just forgot to make sure ocean water activities were okay. I'll call my doctor Monday and find out."

"We should go, so I can put some anti-biotic cream on you just to be safe," Veronica said. She looked at Weevil. "Is your grandmother home now? We can drop the boys off."

"Yes, she should be," Weevil said. "She can check out his back or give you the meds. She got all kinds of stuff."

"I'll take Dick home," Mac offered.

"What about lunch? I'm starving!" Dick said.

"Me, too!" the boys said.

"We packed some food," Veronica said. She gave the boys a sandwich.

"Come on, Mackie. I'll treat you to Cho's since you're taking me home," Dick said, not in the mood for sandwiches.

"We gotta return the boats," Mac told him.

Weevil and the boys ate a light lunch while the rest of them took the boats and paddles back. When they were done, Mac took off with Dick.

As they were heading to their vehicles, Weevil asked Veronica, "Is Mac mad about something? She didn't say a word to me."

Veronica looked at him. "She was wondering the same thing about you," she replied. "When you arrived, you didn't say hi or so much as acknowledge her presence. I think you hurt her feelings."

"I wasn't trying to hurt her," Weevil said grimly.

"Why were you ignoring her?" Veronica asked. "You can't kiss a girl one night and then ignore her the next day and expect her to be okay."

Weevil was very uncomfortable with the turn of their conversation. "She's seeing Dick's brother. I told Logan I wouldn't mess with her," he said.

"I don't want you to mess with her, especially if this is an example of what you plan on doing," Veronica said sternly. "Mac's a great girl, and the first new girlfriend I've made in a long time. She's not like other girls. She's brilliant and quirky. Not everyone gets her, but Cassidy does."

"She's better off with him," Weevil said.

Veronica stared at him a moment. She glanced at Logan, who looked back to see what was holding them up. She held up her finger, so he'd give them a minute. He nodded, understanding. "Why do you say that? Cassidy is fine. He's my favorite Casablancas. However, he's not necessarily the one for her. Nor is he better than you," Veronica said. "If you like her, treat her like you do. Don't play with her or make her feel like you made her feel today. You don't have any idea of the things she's had to deal with in her life."

"Her parents aren't cool?" Weevil asked.

"No, they are. They just don't get her. They love her, and she loves them. But she doesn't really belong with them," Veronica said, not betraying any confidence.

Weevil nodded. "I'll be nice," he said without really saying much else. He waved goodbye and told his brothers to make sure they thanked Logan and Veronica. Then he got on his bike and drove to Cho's. He saw Mac's bug car parked in front. He parked a block away and walked into a Subway that wasn't too far away. He wanted to find out where Mac lived, so he could talk to her. Maybe apologize. He sat down in a booth by the window. After a few minutes, he began to feel stupid. Disgusted, he walked back to his bike. She didn't want to talk to him anyway.

******An Hour Later******

After dropping off the boys and taking a shower, Logan allowed Veronica to put some ointment on his newly healed stitches just to be safe. Then he followed her over to her apartment since neither wanted their time together to end. Veronica opened up her apartment door. Logan followed her in, warily looking around. "You're sure your dad is gone for the night?" he asked.

Veronica grinned at his fear. "Yes. He's chasing down a bail jumper. He won't be back 'til tomorrow afternoon probably. We are all alone," she assured him.

"Finally!" Logan exclaimed. He wasted no time grabbing her and pulling her down on the couch with him. Before she could reply, he fused his mouth on hers, kissing her hungrily. Veronica couldn't help but respond. It had been too long since he had been able to have leisure time with her. Last night, they had got to spend some time together but were constantly interrupted.

"How are you feeling? Any pains?" Veronica asked in concern after they paused to take a breath.

"Some twinges. Nothing I can't help. Nothing that's going to stop me from making as much love to you as you will allow," he said, giving her a lecherous glance.

"Good!" she replied. "Let me know if it changes. I don't like you hurting."

"Believe me, it hurts more not being able to touch you," Logan said fervently. He reached out and put a hand on her breast, squeezing it lightly. Like a cat responding to a stroke, she purred and leaned into his touch.

"It's not enough," he said.

Without hesitating, Veronica pulled her shirt off and unsnapped her bra without looking away from his heated glance. She loved the affect she had on him. His eyes darkened, and he reached out to fill his hands with her breasts. He gave her a satisfied smirk. "Your breasts are so perfect!" he said with awe.

"No, they're not! They're practically non-existent!" Veronica countered with a laugh of disbelief. "Lilly was stacked. How can mine make you so happy?"

Without removing his hands, he replied, "They're attached to the woman I love. A woman that's funny, beautiful, caring, cunning, and so sexy I can hardly stand it."

Veronica's face lost its smile as she looked back at him. He really meant that. She didn't understand how it was so, but it was. "You make it so hard," she said softly.

Logan removed his hands and frowned. "What do you mean?" he asked.

"It's hard to resist you," she said. "I don't want to love you."

"Why not?" he asked, feeling hurt.

"Because you could hurt me," she admitted. "You _have_ hurt me."

"I thought you forgave me," he said, cringing.

"I have, but it makes me wary sometimes. We're so young, and you make me feel so much. _You_ feel so much. Sometimes, I'm not sure how to handle it," she told him. She looked away, unable to handle his hurt gaze.

Logan took a deep breath, thinking how to respond. Finally, he just reached out and pulled her against him, hugging her. "Don't be scared, sugarpuss. One day, people will write songs about us," he said, trying to turn the moment into something lighter.

She pulled back, so she could see him. "Really? You think so?" she asked, smiling.

"I do because we're going to be epic," he said confidently. He grinned down at her. Then he got serious. "I promise that I won't hurt you. I'll love you if you'll let me. Trust me with your heart, and you won't regret it."

Veronica gave him a searching look and then kissed him. He took that as a sign that she did—at least enough to give him a chance. To give them a chance.

***** _More to Come*_ *****


	26. Getting Closer

**** _*The Next Morning (Sunday)_ *****

For the second time in her life, Veronica woke up to the feel of a man's arms wrapped around her. And not just any man—Logan. She loved the fact that he was such a cuddler. As an only child, she never shared a bed with anyone except whenever Lilly stayed the night with her. Lilly had been a restless sleeper, however, and Veronica never believed she'd ever enjoy sharing a bed with anyone. Logan, though, was the exception. Her body grew warm as the memory of the things they had done last night flashed through her mind. She turned around and gazed at him. The things he made her feel! She couldn't seem to turn it off. It was so different from what she had felt with Duncan. With Duncan, she had butterflies and a nice warm feeling. She had felt safe and secure with him. Things had always been so easy and familiar with him. Their relationship had progressed so naturally. It had never been a surprise to either of them. She had thought she knew him better than anyone. That's why his sudden abandonment without a word or explanation had hurt so much. She had felt like her anchor had suddenly been ripped away.

With Logan, there was so much heat. So much more _everything_. She couldn't resist caressing his face. His eyes opened, and he gave her a sleepy smile. He couldn't resist leaning over and giving her a soft kiss. "Good morning, snookums," he said. He hugged her close. She could feel his body harden in response. "Ignore him."

"Him? Who are we talking about?" she asked with a mischievous grin.

"Little Logan. He's always rearing to go in the morning, especially when I'm near you," Logan said with a leer.

"Little Logan? You named your penis? Guys actually do that?" she asked with a snicker.

"Our organs have a mind of their own sometimes," he confessed with a rueful grin.

Veronica rolled her eyes. "Convenient excuse for Neanderthal behavior!" she said.

"No, seriously. It's like having an alien that pops out at inconvenient times!" Logan said with a laugh.

He grabbed her and pulled her on top of him and began kissing her neck, causing her to giggle. Suddenly, she sat up and looked intently at him.

"What?" Logan asked, knowing that busy little brain of hers was thinking hard about something.

"I was thinking..." her voice trailed off. She looked nervous.

"What's wrong?" he asked, noticing her sudden tension.

"I was thinking that I'm ready to go all the way with you," she confessed, feeling shy and embarrassed.

Her sudden display of bashfulness reminded him of the Veronica of old, and Logan found her very sweet. He entwined one of his hands with hers. "There's no rush. I'm not going anywhere," he assured her. "I want you to be as ready and eager as I am."

"I really think I'm there," she admitted. "I'm more comfortable with what we've been doing, and I trust you more all the time."

He sat up in the bed and looked at her. He knew that wasn't easy for her to admit. Although a part of him was bothered by the fact that she still held a part of herself back, it was reassuring that she was wanting to be closer to him. "I'm a lucky boy!" he exclaimed, trying to make light of the situation and put her at ease.

"You know I turn eighteen next month. It's just a few weeks away," she said.

"I'll be dating an older woman!" Logan joked. "Mine's still a few months away."

"Well, as the older and wiser member of this relationship, I think we should get tested before we have sex," Veronica said slowly, waiting for his reaction.

"You mean tested for STDs? I always wear a condom," he assured her.

"Every time? Even when you were drunk and heart broken right after Lilly died?" Veronica asked pointedly. He had been with a parade of women before settling down with Caitlin Ford.

Logan gave her a guilty look and couldn't hold her gaze. "I think so," he admitted.

"It doesn't matter if you used a condom every time. They're not full proof," she reminded him. "Have you ever been tested?"

"No," he admitted.

"Neither have I. Why don't we go together after your class tomorrow?" she suggested.

"Sure, if that's what you need me to do, I'll do it," he said.

"I can start the pill, too. Just to be safe," she said. "And speaking of class, don't you need to study for your finals?"

"I just have two classes. One test Monday and Tuesday. It won't be hard. I knew all the material before. I don't know why they just wouldn't let me take the finals with everyone else to begin with," he said in annoyance.

"'Cause there's this little thing called an attendance policy," she said with a smirk.

"Yeah, having your dad arrested for murder tends to prevent the school from granting you any favors," Logan said sourly. "What time is it?"

"Almost nine," Veronica told him.

"We have to get up. I promised Grandma Letty that I'd go to Mass with them this morning," Logan said.

"Really? You at church?" she said with a grin. "Are you going to confess what you did with me last night?"

"We didn't have sex. What's to confess?" he said.

"Okay, President Clinton. We did not have sex," she said with a wide grin. "Can I come?"

"Didn't you last night?" he punned.

Veronica's mouth fell open, and she slugged his arm, moving off his lap. "I can't believe you said that! It's a good thing you're going to church! You need help!"

Logan grinned unrepentantly at her. "Of course, you may come! With me to church," he added quickly before she could hit him again. "You can stay for lunch," Logan said.

"Are you sure it'll be okay?" she asked.

"Are you kidding? If there's one thing I've learned since moving in with Weevil's family, it's that his grandmother is the happiest when she has someone to fuss over," Logan said. "I quit counting how many people show up every day. And I thought my mom was a social butterfly!"

Veronica smiled. It was good to see him mention his mother so easily. "I'll get in the shower while you make me breakfast!" she said with a cheeky grin.

"Don't use up all the hot water!" he yelled after her as she darted out the door.

An hour later, they arrived at church a few minutes before it started. "There's the Navarros," Logan said pointing. They walked toward their pew. Mrs. Navarro smiled happily to see them.

"Ah, Logan, you made it! I am so glad!" she said to them. "And you brought Veronica." She greeted Veronica.

Veronica returned her greeting and spotted Weevil in a suit. She grinned widely. "Weevil! You clean up very nicely!" she teased.

"Yeah, who would've thought?" Logan added with a grin. His grin widened further when Weevil glared. Who knew church could be so fun?

After service Weevil said, "I'm going to head home and change. I want to go for a bike ride. Wanna come?" he asked Veronica with a grin.

"Have you met my dad? He may not have a badge anymore, but he's still licensed to carry a gun," Veronica reminded him.

Logan put a possessive arm around her shoulder. "It wouldn't matter if he didn't care. _I_ care!" Logan protested.

"Don't worry, Logan. I'll give you a ride, too! No need to be jealous!" Weevil said with a smirk.

Veronica laughed. She loved that the two of them could tease without any real heat. She checked her phone for messages. She grinned when she read the text her dad sent. She had text him about going to church with Logan. His reply: _Is church the new code word for sex? You can tell me! I can only kill him once!_ Veronica laughed and showed the text to Logan. He didn't find it funny. She sent a reply. _No. I'm really at church. The priest says I have to convert if we want the wedding here._ When she showed Logan her reply, he looked very disgruntled. "It's not funny, Veronica! Don't tease your dad like that!" Logan exclaimed.

Veronica just laughed. Boys were such babies.

***** _A Little Bit Later*****_

Mac gave a satisfied smile as she came out of the electronics store. She had been searching for a particular part for a computer she was building for her brother. He was annoying, but it was a point of pride that he have the best computer that any ten year old could have. Not to mention it would keep him away from hers. The used electronic store wasn't exactly in her neighborhood, but the drive had been worth it. She got in her car and started it up with pleasure. She never lost her sense of pride every time she started it up. It was cute and stylish, exactly how Mac wished she could be known as. Some thought she was cute but never stylish. However, she had her own sense of style and didn't enjoy conforming to the mainstream. One day, she hoped it wouldn't matter to people. She couldn't wait until college when she knew that her qualities would be better appreciated.

She turned on her radio and blasted out All American Rejects. She was enjoying the summer drive with her top down when her car suddenly jerked to the right. In a panic, she hit her brake so that the car could come to a stop on the side of the road. She slowly eased off the road completely. Luckily, there were few cars on the road today. She got out of the car and looked at her tires. Yes, she had a flat. Although her last car had been a piece of junk, she had never had a flat before. She opened her trunk and sighed in relief that she had listened to her dad and bought a spare tire. She hesitated. Her dad would be upset if she didn't call him. However, she didn't want her mom fretting. Not to mention, she was an intelligent, capable woman. Surely, she could figure out how to change a tire. She had a jack and a tire arm. Bending into the trunk, she pulled them out and sat them down next to the tire. Then she reached in and struggled to pull the tire out of the trunk.

Weevil was out for a drive after he had returned home from Mass. While his grandmother was cooking lunch for everyone, he slipped out. He didn't have his boys anymore, but he still had his bike. He loved the feel of the open road, the power beneath his legs, and the wind in his face. He was surprised when his routine was broken up by the sight of a woman struggling with getting a tire out of her trunk. When he got closer, he realized he knew the girl. Grinning, he pulled his bike over.

"Would you like some help?" he asked Mac.

Mac finally managed to roll the tire out of the trunk and let it fall to the ground with a thud. She flushed to see Weevil. "Oh, ah, I guess. I could probably figure it out, though," she said lamely.

Weevil grinned widely. "If you never changed a tire before, it's not a good idea to practice alone on the side of the road for the first time. I don't mind giving you a hand," he said. He bent down and grabbed the tire. In a much shorter time than Mac knew she could have managed, he changed the tire. Mac watched closely, determined to be able to do it on her own next time.

Weevil examined the bad tire as he put it in her trunk. "Looks like you picked up a nail. Sometimes, this can just end up being a slow leak and can be patched up. However, if it blows while you’re driving like it did for you today, it usually ruins the tire," Weevil explained.

"Good to know. Thanks," Mac said. She gave him a shy smile. "Sorry to interrupt your drive or keep you from wherever you were going."

Weevil shrugged. "I wasn't going anywhere in particular. Just got done with church," he shared.

Mac looked surprised. "You go to church?" she asked before she realized how bad that sounded when spoken out loud. "I'm sorry, I didn't mean anything by that."

Weevil found her embarrassed flush endearing. "It's okay. I'm not offended. My grandmother is devoutly Catholic and makes me go to Mass at least once a week," he replied.

"That's nice. My parents are Presbyterian, but we only go at Christmas and Easter," she confessed.

Weevil shut her trunk. "So what are you doing in this neighborhood? I didn't think you lived so close to me," Weevil said.

"I live about ten minutes from here. Not in the 09er area, of course, but it's a nice quiet street," Mac said. "I came over here for a part for a computer. There's a used electronic store down the street."

"Computers? That's your thing?" Weevil asked.

"Didn't you know that? I thought that's the only thing people knew about me," Mac said smiling.

"I don't really pay much attention to what other people say," he said. "I knew you were smart and liked video games." His gaze heated as he recalled the kiss they shared after playing a video game.

Mac flushed, knowing what he was thinking. She felt awkward and unsure. However, good manners had been drilled into her from an early age, and she fell back on them. "So I really appreciate your help. Have you had lunch? Let me buy you lunch as a thank you," she offered. Then her eyes widened a bit as she realized that she'd basically asked him out. She steeled herself for his rejection and was surprised when he nodded.

"I never turn down a free meal offered by a pretty lady," he said flirtatiously. He found her reaction to him adorable. She was nervous; he could tell. "There's a Cuban cafe not too far down the street on the left. You can follow me if you want."

"That sounds great. I love Cuban food," Mac said with a smile.

Weevil was pleased to hear that and turned to get on his bike. He drove to the restaurant and parked. He pulled out his phone and sent Logan a text. _Tell Grandma that I won't make it back in time for lunch. Made other plans._ Mac pulled up next to him as he was getting off his bike.

They sat down at a small table and both ordered two Cokes. Weevil ordered a Cuban sandwich. Mac ordered platanos, beans, and rice. "There's not a lot of vegetarian dishes at Cuban restaurants, but my dad loves Cuban restaurants. I got addicted to platanos even though their not really healthy since they're fried," Mac said.

"You're a vegetarian? My grandmother makes a lot of vegetarian dishes, but my brothers and I love meat too much to give it up," Weevil said.

"When I was about nine, my science teacher took us on a trip to a diary farm. It disturbed me so much that I came home crying over the cows. I gave up eating hamburgers and drinking milk almost right away. Then the older I got and the more I read about butchering techniques and the hormones they continue to put in meat, the less I wanted to eat it. I finally convinced my parents I wouldn't die of malnutrition if I ate soy and tofu," Mac shared.

Weevil gave a shudder. Mac grinned at his reaction. "That's what my dad does when he sees me eat it. However, well cooked tofu can be very good," Mac said.

"I'll take your word for it," Weevil said, smiling.

The restaurant was quick, and they soon got their food. For a few minutes, neither of them spoke. Then Weevil said, "So yesterday at the beach, I got the feeling you were upset with me."

Once again Mac felt awkward and unsure. Weevil was giving her an inquiring look, and she didn't know what to say exactly. "Ah..no..I wasn't mad," she assured him. "But you wouldn't even look at me. I guess my feelings were hurt." She looked away after admitting that and took a bite of her food.

Weevil frowned. "That's what Veronica said. I'm sorry. I followed you to the restaurant you were at with Dick, so I could apologize if I'd upset you," he admitted.

"Really?" Mac asked in surprise. "You didn't come in."

"No, I felt stupid and didn't think you'd really want to talk to me anyway," Weevil said honestly. He couldn't believe he was sharing so freely with her. There was just something about her—she wasn't like other girls.

"It wouldn't have been stupid for you to talk to me," Mac said softly. "I would've wanted to talk to you."

They looked at one another in silence for a few moments.

Finally, Weevil quietly said, "I'm sorry if I hurt your feelings. I didn't mean to."

Mac decided that the new her, the one that suddenly spent time with the cool kids and had real friends, would be brave. "I'm pretty new at the whole dating thing, but I thought that a guy usually kisses a girl because he likes her. So I kind of thought maybe I did something wrong because you wouldn't talk to me. You barely looked at me," she said, a questioning not in her voice.

Weevil gave her a contemplative look, considering how to respond. "I guess, I didn't know how to act toward you," he confessed.

Mac's eyes widened in surprise. "Really?" she asked.

"My life's been pretty crazy lately. I've been betrayed by people I thought were my brothers, and now my enemy has been adopted by my grandmother. I was all but dragged to an 09er party. I didn't have to crash, but I was invited. I meet a really cute and quirky girl there, who is completely out of my league and is dating another guy. I guess I'm not sure what to do anymore. My life has gone out of control," Weevil shared with a rueful smile.

Mac couldn't believe that he thought she was out of his league. "I know how you feel. My life has changed a lot since I've become friends with Veronica, too. We've been sucked into her crazy world. I don't think we can escape even if we wanted to. She's pretty stubborn," Mac said with a fond smile.

"Ain't that the truth! It's like she woke up one day and decided she wasn't going to take any more bullshit from anyone. She's tiny but fierce," he said, his admiration obvious.

"Very true," Mac agreed. She finished off the last of platanos.

"So how has your life changed lately?" Weevil inquired.

"Let's see. I've been in at least three of Duncan Kane's classes every semester since seventh grade, and he thinks we just met this summer," Mac said.

"Typical," Weevil said scornfully.

She grinned. "He even kissed me on a dare at the last 09er party. I went from being invisible to being kissed by the king of the 09ers. It's a lot to take in," Mac said.

"Yeah, he's been more zombie like than normal since Lilly died. Last semester, one of my boys backed into him in the hall and caused him to drop his books. He didn't even look up. Just bent down and picked up his books," Weevil shared.

"He must've been close to his sister," Mac observed. "Of course, it wouldn't matter. Family's family. I couldn't imagine losing someone so violently."

Weevil looked grim. "Lilly loved her little brother even though they were very different," he said.

"Veronica told me you were close to Lilly," Mac admitted.

"Yeah, she'd run to me every time Logan pissed her off. I was a fool who believed I meant something to her," he said bitterly.

"I'm sure you did," Mac said.

"No, I didn't. She liked the danger and thrill of screwing a bad boy. Finding out she was also screwing Logan's dad, too, really proved that," Weevil said in disgust. "So you can see why I'm leery of getting involved with another 09er's girlfriend. I don't need the complication."

Mac felt a lot of different things at his words. She was surprised that such a rough looking man felt things so strongly. He obviously had a sensitive heart and had been deeply hurt by the late Lilly Kane. It must've been even worse for Logan. The woman he loved had been sleeping with both his father and his adversary. However, she also felt a bit miffed that she was so easily dismissed. Although that shouldn't surprise her (most people didn't notice her), it did. Also, it was a bit insulting to have a guy assume she'd be anything like Lilly Kane.

"First of all, I'm not anyone's girlfriend. I told you that. Cassidy and I have been hanging out. He's not even kissed me yet. Second of all, if girls like Lilly Kane are your type, there's no way you could ever be seriously into me. It sounds like Veronica would be a better choice," she said frankly. "However, neither Veronica nor I would ever treat a guy the way Lilly did." Since she was done eating and had already paid for lunch, she got up. "I really appreciate both your help and your honesty. Thanks. I'll see you around."

Weevil was caught completely off guard by her sudden withdrawal and watched her turn and leave without a word. Once again, he had managed to hurt her feelings. When did he become so clumsy with women? He got up and followed after her.

"Mac! Wait up!" he yelled after her. She got to her car and waited for him. When he stopped in front of her, he opened his mouth to speak. Then he found himself at a loss. She was waiting with those too penetrating eyes of hers. She was so watchful and intent. It was obvious she didn't expect much, and the fact that he'd somehow disappointed her bothered him. "I'm sorry," he finally spit out.

"For what?" she asked.

"For upsetting you," he said.

"I'm not upset," she said easily. "I'm glad we talked. I don't like when people make assumptions about me, but I'm kind of used to that so it's okay."

Weevil didn't like being lumped in with everyone else that had disappointed her. "I haven't assumed anything. I was just trying to explain my behavior yesterday. I was wrong. It was stupid, and I know that," he said quickly.

She seemed surprised by his admittance. "Okay," she said slowly, not knowing what to say really. She felt really embarrassed and awkward.

"Do you think it'd be okay if I called you? Maybe we can talk sometime. I know you're not like Lilly Kane. I like that you're different. I don't want to date Veronica," he said meaningfully.

Mac felt her face heat at his confession and his gaze. Her mouth felt too dry, and she swallowed. "Okay," she said. She gave him her number. He put it in his phone. He dialed it, so she would have his number. She smiled and pulled out her phone to save it.

She got into her car and put her seatbelt on. Weevil watched her, leaning against his bike. When she started her car, he leaned on her rolled down window frame and said, "Just so were clear, I'm not Cassidy. I don't just want to hang out with you or be your study buddy. Nor do I want you to fix the computer I don't have." He wanted to make it clear that he was interested in her.

She gave him a shy smile. "I'm only agreeing to a phone call," she said.

He laughed and pulled back as she put her car in gear. She waved as she drove off. He watched her leave before getting on his bike. For the first time in a long time, Weevil was looking forward to tomorrow.

***** _Chapter End*****_

_I hope you've picked up on the clue I left about the Cassidy rape about to come out. This is AU to a degree. But I'm not rewriting what already took place, so yes, I will reveal it. The STD test is obviously the first step. Please, continue to review and tell me what you think! I hope you enjoyed this update._


	27. Shocking Results

****** _Tuesday*_ *****

Veronica and Mac were driving to campus to meet the guys for lunch. Both girls were distracted. Veronica's mind was preoccupied thinking of the phone call she'd gotten from the clinic. She and Logan had gone before his Monday final to get tested for STDs. While there, Veronica had gotten information on the various birth controls besides the condom. She wasn't exactly sure which method she wanted to use. The pill was true and tried, but there were some others that sounded good, too. She was still trying to decide that this morning when the clinic had called to tell her to pick up her test results. She assumed that Logan got the same call, so she figured they could do it together.

Mac's mind was also on a guy—two guys in particular. Weevil had called her Sunday night and last night. They had talked about nothing in particular and everything. His low chuckle had actually become something she sought to hear. It just did something to her insides that she couldn't explain. It had been really nice to discover that Weevil had interests outside of riding motorcycles. Their conversations had been friendly and fun. He had a really wicked sense of humor that often shocked her. Her own tended to surprise most people, and he seemed delighted by it.

The problem was Cassidy. She liked him, too. He was sweet and soulful. Today was his last day of driver's ed. His driving test was Friday, which was the date of his sixteenth birthday. Dick was serious about wanting to throw him a party. Mac had convinced him to only invite people he liked, not Dick's friends only. Dick had agreed to invite some of Cassidy's friends. When Mac asked him if he had even known who Cassidy was friends with, Dick had shrugged. Then he mentioned that he'd been a bat boy for the Sharks. When Mac had asked him if he was still friends with any of the guys, Dick had shrugged yet again. He was frustrating! Mac figured she have to discover who some of his friends were herself. Dick kept suggesting she break into his laptop. Of course, she refused.

"So have we already ran out of things to talk about?" Veronica asked after the silence became too obvious.

"Hey, you're not talking either," Mac pointed out.

"I know what's on my mind, but what's got you thinking so hard?" Veronica asked.

"Cassidy's birthday is Friday, and Dick wants to throw a surprise party," Mac said. She wasn't ready to talk about Weevil.

"Can Dick keep a secret that long?" Veronica said dryly.

"Doubtful," Mac said with a grin. "However, he seems determined to prove to me that he can throw a party that Cassidy will actually like. I made the mistake of sharing my doubts about that."

"He is now determined to prove you wrong," Veronica observed. "Well, Logan and I will be there. Did you tell him to keep the 09er numbers down?"

"I tried, but you know Dick. He thinks the more people there the better the party will be. I don't think he really knows his brother as well as he thinks," Mac said. "So what's got you so quiet?"

"Birth control," Veronica admitted.

Mac gave her a sharp look. "Have we progressed to real girl talk already?" she asked with a grimace.

"Well, you're the only girlfriend I can talk to about it since the only other friend I have is Meg, and obviously she doesn't know much about the subject," she said with a wicked grin.

Mac laughed. "I'm not sure how I can help. I know next to nothing on the subject," she admitted.

"Why do I find that hard to believe?" Veronica replied.

"So I might know a few things, but I currently have no reason to be on any. Therefore, I only have book knowledge, not firsthand knowledge," Mac said.

"If you were going to start taking it, would you get the shot, the patch, or just take the pill?" Veronica asked.

"Newer forms are more convenient, but they haven't been used long enough to be sure of the side effects. Since I tend to be overly cautious about those kinds of things, I'd probably stick with the pill," Mac admitted.

"Yeah, I was thinking that, but the thought of forgetting it and getting pregnant makes me nervous," she confessed.

"That's why you're supposed to always make the guy wear a condom. Double protection. Neither is fool proof alone, but together you can be pretty confident you won't have Meg's problem," Mac said.

"Good point," Veronica said as she parked the car. "Do you think the news of Meg's pregnancy has made the 09er rounds yet?"

"How would I know? I know exactly the same amount of 09ers as you do," Mac reminded her. "However, I guess we'll find out Friday night at the party."

They got out of the car and headed to the outside tables. Logan was already sitting at a table with Cassidy. "I thought we were early," Veronica said. She kissed Logan hello and sat down next to him.

"You are. I finished my final really quickly and came out here to wait. Beaver just got here," Logan replied.

"I just had to take a turn driving, and then I was done," Cassidy said.

"How did it go?" Mac asked.

"Great. I definitely passed this time," he said.

"That's great! We should celebrate tonight," Mac suggested. She looked at Veronica.

"Why don't we go on a double date?" Veronica said. "Johnny Depp has a new movie out."

"It's totally wrong that he's remaking Willy Wonka's classic Chocolate Factory!" Logan complained.

"Tim Burton movies are really unique, though," Mac said.

"We can watch Batman again," Cassidy suggested.

"No, then Dick will want to come," Logan said, grinning.

"You'd think three times would be enough!" Cassidy said.

"I would've figured that Christopher Nolan's reboot of the franchise would've been too dark for Dick," Veronica said.

"He likes the idea of a rich playboy playing a vigilante superhero," Cassidy explained. "Batman's always been his favorite comic book hero."

"So Johnny Depp it is," Veronica said with a satisfied grin.

"Well, then no Italian food. I'm getting tired of Luigi's," Logan said with a smirk.

Veronica's mouth fell open. "Take it back!" she exclaimed. "You cannot date me and not love Luigi's! We might just have to end this now."

Mac and Cassidy laughed at the two of them. Dick arrived and sat down next to Mac who was across from Cassidy. "What are you laughing about?" he asked as he sat down.

"Veronica wants to break up with me because I'm sick of eating at Luigi's," Logan said with a grin.

Dick frowned, thinking he was serious. "That's messed up, Ronnie. And I thought Madison was lame!" he remarked.

"He's kidding, Dick," Cassidy said.

"Veronica just doesn't want to try a new restaurant," Logan said. "I like Luigi's, but it's like the only place you ever want to eat at. I need something besides Italian in my diet!

"How about Thai food?" Mac suggested.

"I hate Thai food," Dick said.

"We're not talking about for lunch, Dick. We're talking about dinner tonight," Cassidy said.

"And since Dick hates it, I'll say yes," Veronica said smugly.

"So I'll grab Beaver and head to your place at seven," Logan said.

"That'll work," Veronica said. She turned to Mac. "Do you want to just come over to my house to get ready?"

"Sure," Mac said.

"Oooh, a double date?" Dick asked, finally catching on.

"Yes, and you're not invited," Veronica said quickly.

"Don't be rude," Mac said. "He can come if he wants."

"Thanks, Mackie," Dick said, putting his arm around her shoulder. "But I don't need to crash, especially if you'll come over today or tomorrow to help me with that project we were talking about."

Cassidy frowned. "If this is about my birthday, Dick, you may want to be a little more subtle," he said.

"You know?" Mac asked in surprise.

"Dick isn't capable of keeping a secret from me," Cassidy said. "He is suddenly interested in my favorite foods and ice cream flavors. Not to mention his whispered conversations with people that suddenly end when I approach."

Logan laughed at Dick's flummoxed expression. "So much for a surprise party," Logan said dryly.

"I was surprised. Surprised that my brother would go to so much trouble for me," Cassidy admitted.

"So what are we doing for lunch?" Mac asked, tactfully changing the subject.

"Logan and I have something we need to go do, so we're going to have to bail on you guys," Veronica said apologetically.

"We do?" Logan asked in surprise.

"Yes, we do," she said, getting up.

"Well, if you get Mac for dinner, I get her for lunch," Dick said to his brother.

"I'm not a toy for you guys to fight over," Mac said calmly.

"Who's fighting? I'm just saying that since Beaver has ruined the surprise part, he should make himself scarce this afternoon so we can work out the details," Dick said.

Cassidy rolled his eyes. "Whatever. But you are taking me to lunch before ditching me. I'm starved!" he told Dick.

The group split up. Mac went off with the two brothers while Logan looked at his girlfriend. "So what's up?" he asked.

"Didn't you get the call from the clinic?" Veronica asked.

"Yes, they told me everything was fine," Logan said.

Veronica looked surprised. "Really? They didn't say that to me. They told me they couldn't give results out over the phone," Veronica said.

Logan shrugged, unconcerned. "Probably just a lazy worker," he said. "Those state employees don't get paid much."

"I hope you're right. Let's go by and find out for sure. I won't be able to relax until I know," Veronica said.

"Feed me first," Logan said with a grin.

"Fine, but then we'll go by the clinic afterward," Veronica said as she climbed into his truck. He'd drive her back to her car afterward.

***** _After Lunch_ *****

Mac was hanging out in Cassidy's room. The three of them had went to lunch. When they arrived back at the boys' house, Dick had gotten distracted by a phone call from Luke, so she had been hanging with Cassidy. She saw a picture on his bookshelf that she never noticed before. Grinning, she picked it up. "Is this you?" she asked. He was about eleven or twelve and really adorable. It was in a Sharks uniform holding a bat.

Cassidy looked at the photo and frowned. "Ah, yeah. I don't play anymore," he said dismissively.

"How many years were you a bat boy?" she asked.

"A few," he said.

"Do you have a group photo?" she asked casually. Maybe she could find some more people to invite.

"No, I threw them away. I didn't even pose for the last one we took anyway," Cassidy said.

Dick appeared. "Beav, Kendall wants you to drive her to go shopping," Dick announced with a grin.

"Really?" he asked in surprised.

"No, she asked me, but I told her you needed the practice since your big driving test was coming up Friday, and I wanted Mackie all to myself!" he shared unapologetically. He winked at Mac.

Mac laughed. Dick was completely without pretense. It was always surprising and entertaining.

"Kendall will keep me out for hours!" Cassidy complained.

"I know," Dick said smugly.

Mac had finally met their new soon to be stepmother and was not surprised. She struck Mac as being entirely too demanding and very high maintenance.

Cassidy gave a resigned sigh and got up from his desk. He said goodbye to Mac.

"I'm looking forward to dinner tonight," Mac said shyly.

Cassidy looked happy to hear that and left distracted. He forgot to close his laptop. Dick noticed right away and jumped to his desk in glee.

"Dick, don't!" Mac rebuked.

"Well, I'm going to at least check his browser history to see what porn sites he's looking at," Dick said with a grin. "Sometimes, I'm not so sure he even likes girl." He started messing with the computer.

Mac looked a bit offended. "You really shouldn't say things like that, especially not to the girl he's currently dating," she said pointedly.

Dick just gave her a cocky grin and kept skimming Cassidy's browser history. "Why would Beaver be looking at sites about bomb making?" Dick asked in confusion.

"For science class?" Mac suggested.

Dick nodded and frowned as he found a site about the shooting at Columbine. Another site about California law for underage offenders.

Mac noticed his silence. "What's wrong?" she asked.

Dick shut the computer, shaken by all the dark sites. "Nothing. Not one porn site," he said hoping that would explain his mood.

"Well, you shouldn't have been looking through that anyway," Mac admonished. "Let's go to your room."

She got up and left the room. Dick slowly followed; his mind confused. What the hell was going on with his brother?

****** _Neptune Clinic*_ *****

Veronica was getting annoyed. They had been waiting for an hour. "What taking so long?" she asked.

"If you had let me take us to my own doctor instead of the free clinic, you wouldn't have to wait like this," Logan couldn't resist pointing out.

Veronica gave him a dark look. He was saved from her reprisal when her name was called. Logan got up with her. "I'll wait here," he said.

"No, it's okay. You should come. It's your business as much as mine. Besides, what could they be saying except a clean bill of health?" Veronica said.

The two young would-be-lovers followed the nurse into a room. They waited about five minutes before the doctor came in. "Good. I'm glad you brought your boyfriend. He needs to know the risks, too," the doctor said.

Veronica and Logan exchanged puzzled looks. "What do you mean? Logan got a call that said his tests were negative. And since he's definitely the slut in our relationship, there's no way mine could be any different," Veronica proclaimed.

The doctor frowned. "Well, I'm sorry to have to tell you this, Veronica, but you tested positive for chlamydia," the doctor said.

Veronica's mouth fell open in shock. "What?" she demanded. How was that possible?

***** _TO Be Continued*****_

_ Am I clever or what? ;) I'm trying to fit in a Dark Cassidy reveal and this is the only thing I could come up with! I hope it won't be a let down! Let me know your thoughts. _


	28. Looking for the Truth

_*****Tuesday at the Navarros'*****_

Weevil was on the computer Logan had bought for the house looking at some online game Mac had told him about when his doorbell rang. "It's open!" he yelled. He was surprised to see Hector as he had been noticeably silent the past few days. "Yo. What's up?" he asked in Spanish.

"Did you hear the news?" Hector asked.

"What news?" Weevil asked.

"The cops picked up Thumper last night for questioning in Felix's murder," Hector said with a pleased smile.

Weevil was surprised. "No, I hadn't heard. Did they arrest him?" Weevil asked.

"I think so 'cause he's still there. That lawyer of Logan's put out some info that not even the idiot Sheriff could ignore," Hector said with a grin.

Weevil looked grim at the news. "I don't have much faith in the cops in this town. Not anymore," he said.

"Well, it's enough to convince the guys who were siding with Thumper," Hector said. "So you should come hang out with us tonight. The guys need their leader back."

Weevil looked somber as he thought of a way to explain what he felt to his loyal friend. The divide between them was widening more every day. His brothers had betrayed him, and there was no going back. No forgive and forget. Some betrayals went too deep. "I'm not their leader. Not anymore. Not ever again," he replied flatly.

"But we need you. Thumper was a lying, murderous snake. We were right. _You_ were right. Now things can get back to normal," Hector said.

"It's not going to happen, mi amigo," Weevil said. "They turned on me. They can pretend it didn't happen all they want. No one but you defended me. You think I can just forget that? That I wanna be a part of a gang that doesn't know the meaning of trust or loyalty?"

Hector looked disappointed but didn't argue. "Look, Hector, I won't forget what you did. You and I are good. Always. Anytime you need me, you just have to call. But I'm not a PCHer anymore, and I'm fine with that. I'm just fine on my own," Weevil told him.

"But you're not on your own anymore, are you?" Hector asked. "Logan-freaking-Echolls is living in your house like he's your new brother. That's just plain wrong!"

"I didn't create any of this any more than Echolls did," Weevil said. "Thumper did. He killed Felix and framed Logan. He burned down Logan's house, almost killing him. You know my grandmother. She's been on my case about the boys since I joined and now has all the proof she needs that she was right all along. She loves Logan. She's known him for years. You know that. What the hell can I do? It is what it is."

Hector knew he was right, but he didn't like it. This wasn't right. Everything was backwards. He didn't know who to turn to for leadership. "So who's going to lead us?" he asked Weevil.

"You are," Weevil replied. "And getting your boys away from doing business with the Fitzpatricks should be your first priority."

They were interrupted as the front door opened suddenly. A raging Logan came in with Veronica close behind him. "I am going to kill him, Veronica! I don't give a damn what you think or what his lame excuses are!" he yelled.

Veronica started to reply then spotted Hector. "Let's go to my place and talk about this calmly. It's me it's happening to anyway. I'm the one who should be mad!" she exclaimed in annoyance.

Logan turned to her. "And why aren't you mad? Is it because it's your precious Duncan who can do no wrong? Is that it?" he demanded.

"Uh..I'll catch you later," Hector said quickly to Weevil, who nodded and waved.

After Hector escaped and shut the front door behind him, Weevil turned to the fighting couple. "What's going on?" he asked them.

"It's kind of private," Veronica said uncomfortably.

"He gave you a f**** STD!" Logan said hotly, his anger making him careless. When Weevil's stunned reaction made him realize what he'd done, he turned an apologetic eye to Veronica, whose temper finally ignited.

"Why don't you take out a damn newsletter, Logan! Or call one of your paparazzi friends!" Veronica asked in disgust. Why in the world had she let Logan see the doctor with her?

"I'm sorry," he said to her. He looked at Weevil.

"Hey, don't worry. I don't gossip, and I didn't hear nothin' anyways!" Weevil assured her.

"You are going to stay here. _I_ am going to go talk to Duncan without you there. I will call you as soon as I talk to him," she said firmly.

Logan didn't like it. He wanted to punch Duncan so hard right now, and Veronica wouldn't let him. "I don't like it," he said to her.

"That's too damn bad!" Veronica replied. "Before your anger gets the better of you, remember exactly _why_ I was in that bed with Duncan to begin with!" On that final remark, she left. Then she said came back less than a minute later. "Give me your car keys. Not only do I want to make sure you don't follow me, but my car's still at the school." Logan handed her his keys in silence, and she left.

"She packs a hell of a punch without swinging a fist," Weevil observed.

"Tell me about it!" Logan said as he threw himself on the couch. "Is anyone else here?"

"No, we're alone," Weevil replied. "So V has an STD? You didn't give it to her I take it?"

"No, of course not! We've not even had sex yet," Logan replied disgruntled.

Weevil was surprised. "Really?" he asked.

"Not that it's any of your business," Logan said sourly.

"Hey, you're the one blabbering personal business. Yours and Veronica's," Weevil pointed out.

Logan put his hand through his hair in frustration. "I'm sorry, dude. When I get mad, I don't always think clearly," he admitted.

Weevil grinned. "Glad to hear you admit that," he said smugly.

"F*** you!" Logan said in annoyance. Weevil just snickered.

"So you think Kane gave Veronica an STD?" Weevil asked.

"He's the only guy she's ever been with. There's no one else," Logan said grimly.

"Didn't you guys say she was drugged at that party and left alone in a room? How do you know someone else didn't mess with her?" Weevil speculated.

Logan sat up in alarm. He hadn't even thought of that. "Thanks, Weevil. Now I'm suddenly hoping Duncan _did_ give her an STD!" Logan exclaimed in disgust. His anger toward Duncan began to dissipate as he realized that he was just as responsible as Duncan.

"Glad to help," he said. "No point in getting worked up until she talks to him."

"Either scenario sucks ass," Logan said grimly. "Both will be my fault."

"Yeah, it does suck, and yes, it is your fault," Weevil said simply. "So I'll tell you some good news. Hector just told me that Thumper got picked up by the police for questioning in Felix's murder. He's still at the police station, so Hector thinks they arrested him."

"That _is_ good news!" Logan said with a smile. "I hope they fry his ass!"

"Like this state ever fries anyone," Weevil said snidely.

"You know what I mean!" Logan said crossly. "I hope he gets what's coming to him!"

"You and me both," Weevil said. They sat in silence a few minutes.

Finally, Logan said, "So did Hector have anything else to tell you?"

Weevil shrugged. "He wanted me to go hang with him and the boys," he said.

"You should. I'm sure they realize what a mistake they made backing that douche," Logan said.

"They betrayed me. It's done, and there's no going back," he said flatly.

Logan nodded. He understood. "I'd probably feel the same way. Well, you can bring Hector to the party Friday. The more the merrier Dick says," Logan told him.

"What party?" Weevil asked.

"Oh, I forgot to mention it. Friday is Beaver's birthday. Dick was going to throw him a surprise party, but he already knows. So now it's just a party," Logan said.

"Another 09er party? No thanks," Weevil said.

"If I recall, you liked the last one just fine!" Logan replied with a smirk.

"It was okay," Weevil conceded with a shrug. "But I'm not going to make it a habit."

"It's the middle of summer. Most of the 09ers aren't even in town, so it won't be much bigger than the last one anyway," Logan said. Then he grinned knowingly. "Mac'll be there."

"We'll see," Weevil said, unwilling to commit.

"Speaking of Mac, I better call her and Beaver and cancel our plans for tonight. I can't imagine Veronica will want to go out after her news today," Logan said.

"What were you going to do?" Weevil asked.

"Beaver passed Driver's Ed, so we were going to double date. Dinner and a movie. No big deal," Logan said. He got out his phone and went into his room to call.

Weevil wasn't too happy to hear that. He and Mac had talked at least an hour each night for the past two nights. He thought they had really connected. Disappointed, Weevil figured that when it came down to it, money always mattered the most. He had none, and Dick's little brother did. Not to mention Cassidy was someone her parents would approve of. Although Mac had a rebellious streak in her, Weevil already knew she was from a close-knit family. Her parents' opinion mattered to her, so she should forget about her. His side trip with the late Lilly Kane should've taught him better. Girls like Mac weren't for him.

***** _Kane's Residence*_ ****

Veronica rang the bell at the Kanes' with a sick feeling. How do you go about asking a guy if he gave you an STD? Even if it was someone she was once very close to, Veronica did not relish her upcoming conversation with Duncan. Celeste opened the door and looked at Veronica with a disdainful curl of her lip.

"Is Duncan here?" she asked politely.

"Duncan's got enough on his plate without you coming around causing problems with him and Meg," Celeste said.

"Who is it, Mom?" Duncan's voice called behind her. When his mother refused to reply, Duncan went to the door.

"Hey, Veronica. What's up? Are you helping Dick and Mac plan Beaver's surprise party?" Duncan asked, throwing out a logical reason for his mother's benefit.

After one last, disapproving look toward Veronica, Celeste stepped back and walked away from the door. Duncan waited until she was out of earshot before turning back to Veronica. "Sorry about Mom. She is ...well, you know," he finished lamely.

"It's okay. I quit caring about her opinion a long time ago," she said. In her head, she added, _Ever since I found those photos she sent my mom that ran her out of town._ "We need to talk. Out here if that's okay."

Duncan nodded and stepped outside, shutting the door behind him. "What's going on?" he asked in concern.

"I need to ask you something that is really embarrassing, but, unfortunately, I can't avoid it," Veronica said with a grimace.

"It's okay, Ronnie. You know you can talk to me about anything," Duncan said.

"Well, I went and got a check-up," she said without going into more personal details, "and I found out that I tested positive for an STD."

Duncan's face became cloudy and angry. "Logan gave you an STD? You're kidding, right?" he asked in disgust.

"No, not Logan! He couldn't have," she said meaningfully.

When he realized what she meant, he visibly relaxed. "Troy? That loser! Logan and I will go get him for you. I can't believe him! No wonder he left town so suddenly!" Duncan said hotly.

"No, Duncan! Just listen. This is hard enough!" she said in frustration. "You are the only man I've _ever_ been with, so I'm asking you if you have or ever had chlamydia?"

Duncan's mouth opened slightly in surprise. "What? Me? No, of course not!" he exclaimed.

"There's no 'of course not' about it! I don't remember my one and only sexual encounter, so what am I supposed to think?" she asked crossly.

Duncan took a deep breath. "Look, Veronica, I am dragged to the doctor regularly, and you probably know why. If I had an STD, I'd know," Duncan said.

"Well, you may want to get tested to be sure because they don't automatically screen your blood for that unless you ask them to," Veronica pointed out. "I don't want Meg to know. She has enough to be stressed about. If you test negative, then we know she's safe."

"If I test negative, what does that mean?" Duncan asked, disturbed at the only conclusion they could draw.

Veronica looked grim. "It means that someone else that had an STD had their way with me when I was unconscious at Shelley's party last spring," she said flatly.

Duncan's face reflected the horror she was feeling. If that ended up being the case, someone was going to pay. Her eyes got hard as she turned back to Logan's truck. If someone did rape her like she initially thought, they made the mistake of leaving behind a very big calling card.

****** _More to Come******_

_Kudos and comments are VERY appreciated. Thanks for reading!_


	29. Double Dating Dud

***** _Still Tuesday_ ******

Logan and Veronica didn't speak as Logan drove her to her car at the high school. Neither were ready to address the ugly truth. Finally, Logan said, "So is Duncan going to go get tested just to be sure?"

"I think so," Veronica said softly.

"I called Beaver and told him we weren't going to be able to make dinner tonight," Logan said.

"No, we need to go out with him because I need to talk to him," Veronica said firmly.

"Why?" Logan asked.

"Because there were only four people who knew I was in that room: Cassidy, Sean, Dick, and Duncan," Veronica said. "If Duncan tests negative, then we know someone else took advantage of me." She wasn't ready to say rape out loud because it was too horrible. She felt sick just thinking about it.

"I've known those guys for years. They would never rape you!" Logan said, upset at the thought.

"Well, even Casey told me I wasn't myself that night and came on to him. From what I heard, I was even kissing Dick," she said with distaste. "What if they convinced themselves it'd be okay since I wasn't myself? I know Casey and Dick thought I was just hammered. You were drinking shots off of me. Maybe one of them thought I was free game."

Logan felt like she slapped him. He knew she was right, but he'd hope she'd forgiven him. Now this. He could lose her over this. He closed his eyes a moment before glancing over at her. "I hate myself for this you know. It's my fault no matter who did it."

"No, it's not your fault. It's the fault of whichever guy gave me an STD. They had to have known if I was sober, I would never give permission! Duncan was bad enough, but at least I had feelings for him. Waking up without my panties and knowing someone had raped me was a nightmare. When I found out it was Duncan I had been with, I didn't really view it as rape. I knew that I loved him, and I probably wanted to be with him on some level. But if someone else also had their way with me, they're not going to get away with it! I'm going to make them pay!" she said angrily.

Logan reached over and grabbed her hand. He was relieved that she didn't try to pull away. They held hands until he made it to her car. He parked and shut off his car.

"I think we should skip the movies and instead you can grab your trusty copy of _Easy Rider_. We can go over to Cassidy's. I can use that opportunity to check their medicine cabinets to see if Dick or Cassidy has a prescription for the same antibiotic I have. If one of them has it, we know it was them," she declared.

"Let's slow down! We don't know for sure that Duncan isn't the one with it. Sometimes, you can be a carrier without symptoms. You don't have any. Your doctor said that 30% of women don't even show symptoms. Maybe some guys don't either," Logan said.

"If it wasn't Duncan, it has to be Dick or Sean. Sean was posing as an 09er. Who knows what else he's capable of?" Veronica reasoned.

"I know you hate Dick, and I know he can be a real moron sometimes. But I can't see him violating you like that. He would know that you would never be willing to have sex with him. He couldn't think it was okay," Logan said.

"Dick told Cassidy to lose his virginity to me, Logan! He threw condoms at him and said basically go for it! How can you defend him?" Veronica said angrily.

Logan wanted to argue, but he knew she had a point. He felt sick and helpless, and he wanted to smash something. Finally, he said, "I'm sorry. I just don't want to think anyone I consider a friend would ever take things that far. But let's wait until Duncan gets tested, so we can at least eliminate him."

"Fine. I won't go snooping through their cabinets, but I still want to talk to Cassidy. So call him and pick me up at seven," she said. She didn't kiss him good-bye but got out of his truck.

Logan waited until she drove off before starting his car. In anger, he hit his steering wheel a few times. It didn't help. Just when things start to get better for him, something else happens.

***** _The Casabancas**_ ***

Dick's mind was disturbed. He wasn't used to keeping many serious thoughts inside his head. He liked living in the moment and just having a good time. He mostly ignored the news and put bad thoughts out of his mind. He liked to be happy. It didn't bother him that most people considered him shallow or a dumb blonde. If people didn't expect much from you, they were never disappointed in you. There were only two things he thought he was good at: surfing and being a good friend. He had never really considered being a good brother as something he should aspire to be. Beaver was like his little shadow. Always there. Mostly a pain. However, since Beav had gotten older, he wasn't quite so annoying. He could hang with Dick when Dick needed a wingman. Dick liked that. He'd spent more time with Beaver since Lilly died because both Duncan and Logan weren't the same. Lately, they both seemed more like themselves and that was good. Beaver didn't seem bothered by anything. He was like he always was, but he never did confide much in Dick. So Dick didn't know what to think about the websites he stumbled on when browsing through Beaver's computer.

When Beaver left to go on his double date, Dick went into his brother's room looking for clues to help understand what he found. His brother's laptop was closed. Dick opened up his dresser drawers looking for what he didn't know. Just something. Anything to indicate that there was something wrong. He shuffled through his brother's books. Wedged behind his yearbook was a photo. Dick pulled it out and examined it. It was a group photo of when Beaver was a bat boy for the Sharks. Beaver was around ten. It looked like he'd taken an ink pen and x'd out the coach's face so many times that Dick couldn't even see who the coach was. The ink pen had been pressed down so hard that it poked a hole through the photo. Dick looked down at the names. The coach was Woody Goodman. Beaver must've hated him. Maybe that's why he'd never played any sports in high school.

On an impulse, Dick took the photo. He folded it and put it in his back pocket. Then he bent down and looked under his brother's bed. Nothing. He lifted up the mattress and found a spiral notebook. He flipped through it. There were some drawings. Dick looked through pages, a knot formed in his stomach. Surely, this wasn't what he it looked like. Upset, he put the bed back the way it was. Then he examined the room to make sure nothing looked disturbed. He kept the notebook and went across the hall to his room. Pacing, he thought about what he should do. He was probably just imagining a conspiracy where there was none. His brother would never hurt anyone. He was just doodling.

Dick felt ridiculous. However, he decided to go down to his dad's office and make copies of the notebook. Maybe he'd show it to Mac. If she laughed about it, he'd know he was being stupid. She was spending time with his brother, and she was really smart. If she thought Beaver was okay, then Dick was probably jumping to wild conclusions. Feeling like the idiot most thought him to be, he went back to his brother's room and put the notebook back. He placed the copies and the photo in his room in his underwear drawer. There would be no reason for his brother to look there. Dick knew he needed to get inside his brother's journal. It was on his laptop. Mac would have to do it. Dick hope the pictures he copied would be enough to convince her to ignore her scruples for once. He needed some time to think. Time to figure out what to do. Maybe it was nothing. Maybe he was just being ridiculous. Feeling unsure, Dick went down to his dad's bar and poured himself a drink.

***** _The Double Date*_ ****

Mac didn't know what was going on with Veronica and Logan, but something was definitely up. Both looked tense and out of sorts. Dinner was very awkward. Mac and Cassidy tried to carry the conversation, but it was hopeless. Finally, Mac excused herself to go to the restroom.

When Mac got up, Veronica signaled to Logan. He said, "Guess I'll go, too." When he left, Veronica pierced Cassidy with a look that had him feeling anxious.

"Is something wrong? Are you and Logan fighting?" Cassidy asked.

"Logan's just worried about me," she replied dismissively. "I need to ask you something while he and Mac are gone."

"Okaay," he replied, drawing the word out slowly. He clearly wasn't comfortable with her.

"Last weekend when we were playing the drinking game, you mentioned that you saw Duncan leave the room your brother dumped me in at Shelley's party after Lilly died. You knew or at least surmised that Duncan and I had had sex," she stated. "What I want to know is why you never mentioned this to me before back when I was asking about what went on, and if you saw anyone else going or leaving the room when I was in it?"

Cassidy swallowed hard, clearly unhappy with her questions. However, he said, "I'm sorry I didn't mention you and Duncan. I shouldn't have said anything at the party. It just freaked me out to know that Duncan thought you were siblings, and he still slept with you."

"So how exactly did you know? Did you walk in on us or see me afterward?" she asked sharply.

Cassidy paused a minute before answering. "Well, Duncan was still putting on clothes as he stepped into the hall. That's when I spotted him. I did peer into the room to see if you were still in there. You looked like you were asleep."

"Was I naked? Did you see me naked?" she asked in anger. The thought that Cassidy got a free peep show make her ill.

"No, you were under covers! I swear! All I saw was the top of your head. Dick hollered at me wanting to bail right after that. Madison was being a bitch, and he was ready to leave," Cassidy explained.

Veronica watched him carefully to see if he was lying or trying to deceive. He looked her square in the eye and didn't look away like most would if dissembling. She wanted to believe him.

"So you didn't see your brother in the room at any time except for the first time when he put me in the room with you?" she asked.

Cassidy shook his head. "No. You know Dick. He has a short attention span. He didn't even mention you when I got into his truck to go home. He was too mad about Madison yelling at him," he replied earnestly.

Logan and Mac reappeared. Veronica gave Mac a tired smile. "Mac, I'm sorry I've been poor company. It's been a stressful day. I went to the doctor today," she said.

"Oh, Veronica, if you aren't feeling well, you should've said something. Cassidy and I don't mind skipping the movie," Mac said.

"Actually, I would rather not go to the movie if that's okay," Veronica said. She felt a bit guilty for misleading Mac, but she'd explain another time. "I'm sorry, Cassidy. I know we were supposed to be celebrating your driving record, and I'm sure you'll ace your test Friday."

"It's fine. Don't worry about it," Cassidy said.

Logan gave his credit card to the server who had dropped off the bill. "Dinner's on me," he said.

"Since we drove together, you can just take us to Veronica's. I'll drive Cassidy home," Mac offered.

Twenty minutes later, Logan and Veronica walked toward her apartment while Mac and Cassidy went to her car.

"Well, that didn't go too well," Mac said.

"Yeah, Veronica was definitely tense," Cassidy said. He was still feeling anxious about her questions and just wanted the night to be over. "Would you mind if we went to the movies another time?"

"Sure," she said, giving him a concerned look. "Did Veronica say something to you?"

"She was asking me about that party last spring at Shelley's when she and Duncan hooked up," he admitted.

Mac started the car and pulled out before replying. "What did she want to know?" she asked.

"If I saw her naked or if anyone else was in the room after Duncan left," he said. He figured that Veronica would tell Mac that much at least.

"Did you see anything that might upset her?" Mac wondered.

"No. Dick and I left right after Duncan did. He and Madison were fighting," Cassidy said.

"I guess it's probably upsetting to not be able to remember the events of an entire night," Mac said.

"Some things are better forgotten," he replied grimly.

Mac turned her head to catch his expression. He looked straight ahead without further comment. Mac frowned. His voice had a note in it that she'd never heard before.

***** _Logan and Veronica*_ ****

"Where's your dad?" Logan asked, looking around at the vacant apartment.

"He'll be home kind of late. He's on a stake-out," she said.

Logan sat down on the couch and tugged her down beside him. He put his arm around her. "Did you learn anything from Beaver?" he asked.

"Well, he insists that he didn't see me naked and only knew we'd had sex 'cause he saw Duncan still putting on his clothes as he came out of the room," Veronica said.

"Did you believe him?" Logan asked.

"Actually, I did. He seemed uncomfortable with the questions but not because he was lying. I think he was embarrassed about me and Duncan," she said. "He also insisted that he and Dick left right after that."

"So that leaves Sean," Logan said.

"Maybe. I haven't ruled out Dick," she said with a frown.

Logan opened his mouth to argue. Then he closed it. What could he say? He was raised by Aaron Echolls. No one ever knew what a person was capable of behind the mask they showed the public. "I understand," he said simply. He reached for her remote control. "Why don't we watch some TV and try not to think about it a while?"

She looked up at him and smiled. "That sounds really nice," she said. She laid her head down on his shoulder as he flipped through the channels.

**** _*Mac_ *****

Mac looked at the clock with a frown. It was eleven o'clock, and Weevil hadn't called. He'd called around ten the last two nights. She tried to dismiss her concern. It wasn't like they had some kind of phone date or something. She finished getting ready for bed, and fifteen minutes had passed. She grabbed her cell phone. No texts. Her hand hesitated over her contact list. She wanted to call him, but she found the thought nerve racking. Cassidy was the only boy she'd ever called before. And for some reason, she found the idea of calling Weevil more intimidating. However, she was done being a wall flower or feeling invisible. Taking a deep breath, she pushed the button that would connect them.

Weevil was brooding alone in his room when his phone rang. He looked in surprise when Mac's number lit up his phone's display. "Hello," he said answering.

"Um, hi. It's me. Mac," she said hesitatingly.

"I'm surprised you called," he replied frankly.

"You are? Why? You didn't call me, so I thought I'd call you for a change," she said lightly.

"I didn't call 'cause I thought you were out on a date," he said, a note of censure in his voice.

Mac blanched, grateful he couldn't see her. "Well, I went to dinner with Cassidy, Veronica, and Logan. But something's going on with Veronica. She wasn't feeling well, so we called it an early night," she explained.

"Oh," he replied. "Logan isn't home yet, so I didn't know."

"Yeah," she said. Their rhythm was off. The last two nights' conversation between them flowed so easily, but now it seemed forced. She didn't know what to say.

"Okay," he said. What did she want from him? Was he supposed to tell her he didn't care if she went out with another guy? Is that what she expected him to say?

"Are you upset that I had dinner with Cassidy?" she finally asked.

"I don't care who you want to waste your time with," he said sharply.

Mac was taken aback by his reply and searched for a response that wouldn't alienate him. "Well, then...Okay...I guess I'll say goodnight," she said haltingly. She shouldn't have called.

Weevil regretted his sharp reply. He could sense her withdrawal. "Look, Mac, I'm sorry. I'm just not sure what you want me to say," he admitted.

"I want you to say whatever you feel like saying," she replied.

Weevil was silent so long that Mac thought he'd hung up. "Are you still there?" she asked.

"Yes," he said.

"Well?" she said, a questioning note in her voice.

"I don't really like the idea of you going out with other guys," he said quietly.

Mac thought about that a moment and then said, "Why's that?" She wasn't being coy, but she needed him to say clearly what he wanted from her.

"I..well..I guess I'd rather you go out with me..maybe. If you wanted," his voice trailed off. He winced at how lame he sounded to his own ears.

His confession caused a warmth to spread through Mac. She smiled into the phone. Suddenly, she wished she could see his face now. "You know, I think that might be nice," she confessed.

"You do?" he asked.

"Yes. But Friday's Cassidy's birthday. I'd rather not ruin it for him. I'll talk to him Saturday morning," she said.

"You don't want to juggle us both?" he teased.

Mac laughed. "I can't see that happening. I can barely grasp the concept of one guy even wanting to go out with me," she admitted. "Cassidy is sweet, and I care about him. I don't want to lead him on."

Weevil couldn't help but feel grateful she was very different from Lilly Kane, the master at leading guys on. "I wish I could see your face right now," he told her.

"Yeah, I know what you mean," she said softly. "It's getting late. I should go."

"I'm glad you called me," he said.

"I'm glad I did, too," she said. "Good night, Eli."

"Good night, Cindy," he said with a chuckle. They both liked the idea of not always using the nicknames that everyone else used. It was like an inside joke. He hung up the phone, his dark mood gone. A second later his phone beeped. He looked at it and grinned. Mac had sent him a picture of her smiling face, her dimple flashing. He saved it as her called I.D. He turned the phone on himself and snapped a rare picture of himself posing with a genuine smile on his face and sent it to her.

Weevil laid back in his bed, the smile still on his face. Life was a funny thing. People could surprise you.

***** _Chapter End*****_


	30. The Beginning of Something

***** _Wednesday_ *****

Duncan disconnected his phone feeling very unsettled. On one hand, he was relieved he didn't have to tell Meg he might've given her chlamydia along with knocking her up. He went yesterday to a late appointment to get tested, knowing Veronica needed answers. His doctor's office just called with a negative result to the panel of STDs, including chlamydia, they had tested him for. Now Duncan debated on whether or not he should call Veronica or Logan with the news. Or should he tell them in person? Confrontation was never his strong suit, so he decided to send them both a text.

****** _Casablancas*_ ******

Logan was sitting on a lounge chair admiring Dick's new soon-to-be stepmother in her barely-there bikini. "Man, your new momma is smokin'!" he exclaimed with a whistle.

A distracted Dick looked over at Kendall as she got into the pool. "Yeah, she's hot," he agreed. "She knows it, too."

Logan laughed. "When's the wedding?" he asked.

"Dad said they're going to elope next week. He's actually staying in town for Beaver's birthday," he said. Logan's phone peeped.

Logan read the text from Duncan with a frown. It was official. Someone he knew and considered a friend raped Veronica. Logan had turned the school against her and had made her a target. Someone had taken things to a place he had never wanted them to go. However, he knew it wouldn't have happened at all if he hadn't turned on Veronica. Hatred for his father billowed up inside of him. His father had ripped Lilly from their lives. They each handled her death as best he could. Obviously, he handled it in the worse way possible. Veronica was hurt because of him. His father may be in jail, but fall-out from his crime was still hurting Logan. If there were any justice in the world, his father would get what was coming to him.

He looked over at Dick with speculation. Dick looked like he was brooding about something. It wasn't like him. "What's up, dude?" he asked.

Dick looked at him, debating on what to say. He didn't want anyone thinking bad things about his brother if he was wrong, so he shrugged. "Just in a mood. I don't relish having a young hot woman living with me that I can never actually have sex with," he said with a forced grin.

"Oh, to have your problems!" Logan teased. They watched Kendall a few minutes. Logan felt a bit guilty for his ogling, so he turned a thoughtful gaze on his friend. He wanted to broach the subject of Veronica but was unsure how to proceed. Finally, he said, "Dick, I need to ask you something. I want you to promise me that you'll tell me the truth and not tell anyone I asked you this. Can you do that?"

Dick frowned. "Ah, yeah, I guess. I don't usually lie to my friends, dude. You should know that," Dick said.

"I do. But this is not a normal thing, so I just want you to be honest," Logan explained. "I know at Shelley's party a few months after Lilly died you planned on giving Madison some GHB."

"Dude, you know I was going to take it, too. I wasn't just going to drug her," Dick said as if that made it okay.

"I'm not trying to scold you about that. I just want to know if you would ever consider having sex with a woman that wasn't willing? A woman that was too drunk or drugged to put up much of a fight? Or maybe if they were sober they'd not be into you but were acting like they wanted it after having too much to drink?" Logan questioned.

"Maddie? Well, yeah. She likes sex with me but always makes me work for it. If it took some drinks to get her in the mood, I'd go for it," Dick said. "We've had drunken sex more than once actually."

Logan grimaced. "Not what I wanted to know but thanks for the image. I'm not really talking about Madison. I'm actually taking about Veronica. She was handed Madison's drugged drink that night. You already know this," Logan reminded him.

"Oh, okay," Dick said. Then he frowned as he figured out what Logan was trying to ask. "You want to know if I had sex with Ronnie at the party?"

"Someone besides Duncan had sex with her that night, Dick. I hate to ask this, but you were the one who told your brother to have sex with her," Logan said.

Dick's eyes got wide. "No way, dude! I didn't touch, Ronnie! I mean she kissed me in the main room when I was on the couch. That's why Maddie was so mad. That's why she wrote slut on Veronica's car and gave her the drink she'd spit in. But I did NOT have sex with her! I swear!" Dick exclaimed.

Logan looked at his friend, wanting to believe him and resenting Veronica a bit for making him unable to. "You know if you have sex with a woman that is unable to give her permission or is too wasted to protest or do much but lay there, it's rape, right? Even if they don't verbalize the no, it's rape. Especially when it's someone you know would never sleep with you if they were sober," Logan said grimly.

Dick sat up in the lounge chair and faced Logan. "Dude, I know what rape is, and I have never raped a woman, especially not one whose daddy carries a gun! I'm not that stupid! I knew Beaver would never touch her, and he didn't!" Dick insisted, upset.

"How do you know?" Logan asked pointedly. "Did you go back and check on Veronica?"

"Well, I did see him puking in the bushes not long after I left him in the room. He didn't look like he'd just gotten lucky," Dick said defensively.

"Your brother indicated during the _I Never_ game that he wasn't a virgin. You didn't seem to know who he'd hooked up with. Are you sure it wasn't Veronica?" Logan asked, surprising them both with his penetrating question. Maybe spending so much time with Veronica was rubbing off on him. If he couldn't dismiss Dick as a suspect, he really didn't think he should Beaver either, however unlikely.

"Beaver rape Veronica? Are you insane? Beaver's never so much as kicked a dog his entire life. Suddenly, he's a rapist?" Dick asked, getting angry. It was bad enough he was having his own disturbing thoughts about his brother, but he wasn't going to let someone, even his best friend, start calling his brother a rapist.

"I'm just asking, Dick, because I have to. Veronica's my girlfriend. I love her, and I'm the reason she was bothered in the first place. I set it in motion even if I didn't do the deed myself," Logan said, his self-loathing apparent.

"Well, there was a hell of a lot of people at that party. Sean and I dragged her into that room, but that does not mean we were the only ones who noticed she was there. Anyone could've found her there. Duncan did. And if you or your girlfriend want to go around accusing my brother, then you can leave now! And don't be bringing her to his birthday party if she's going to start throwing out accusations like that!" Dick yelled getting up. He gave Logan an angry glare and dived into the pool, splashing Kendall who yelled from her floating bed.

Logan was surprised at Dick's anger. In fact, Logan couldn't remember Dick ever yelling at him in anger. He didn't know if he'd made things worse or if he'd helped Veronica with his questioning.

***** _Veronica and Mac_ *****

Mac drove over to Veronica's to see how she was feeling. She looked fine but distracted when she let Mac in.

"How are you doing today? Feeling okay?" Mac asked.

Veronica felt a pang of guilt. "I'm sorry, Mac. I wasn't sick last night. Just upset. Have a seat, and I'll explain. Since I know all your secrets, it's only fair you know mine," Veronica said.

Mac sat down on the couch. "What's up?" she asked.

"Well, you know how I was asking you about birth control the other day? Well, Logan and I went to get tested for STDs. Logan was clean, but I tested positive for chlamydia," Veronica shared in obvious disgust.

Mac winced. "Oh no! Wow!" she exclaimed, not knowing what else to say.

"Yeah. Surprised me. The only guy I know for sure I slept with was Duncan at Shelley's party. But since I was slipped GHB, I don't even remember that. Logan and I were thinking that if Duncan tests negative then maybe someone else had sex with me, too, that night," she shared.

"You think someone else forced themselves on you?" Mac asked in horror.

"I'm not sure much force was needed considering the state I was in," Veronica replied dryly.

"That's awful!" she remarked.

"Tell me about it. Not knowing for sure is making me crazy!" Veronica complained.

"But if Duncan tests positive does it necessarily eliminate the possibility of someone else? Maybe someone else got to you before he did," Mac pointed out.

Veronica looked at Mac in surprise. The thought hadn't occurred to her. "I don't know. I know not everyone who has unprotected sex gets pregnant or an STD. I haven't even had any symptoms all these months. The doctor told me that women sometimes don't. Duncan didn't think he had any STDs, but he got tested yesterday just to be safe. We don't want to worry Meg until we know for sure. I think it's worse for pregnant women," Veronica said.

"Well, yeah. You don't want to have anything that could be passed on to the baby," Mac said. "But can't chlamydia be cured?"

"Yes, fortunately, it's one of those that can be cured with antibiotics. But I'm going to get tested in six months just to be safe," Veronica said.

Her phone beeped, so she read the text. "It's from Duncan. He said his test was negative," Veronica said.

"Well, that's good for Meg," Mac said.

"But bad for me," Veronica said darkly. "Someone gave me this, and I'm going to find out who!"

"Any suspects?" Mac asked.

Veronica hesitated before answering. "Well, Dick and Sean were the ones who put me in the room and told Cassidy to have his way with me," she reminded Mac.

"You think one of them raped you?" she asked tentatively, upset at the thought.

"What else should I think? Sure, it's possible than someone else saw me passed out in the room, but they're the ones I'm going to look at first," Veronica said firmly.

"Do you think Logan said something to Dick? He's been acting strange the past day or so," Mac shared. "We were supposed to meet up today to finalize party plans. I was going to go by there after here. But he texted me earlier and told me to make it tomorrow. He wouldn't explain why."

Veronica shrugged. "Logan is with him now, so maybe. I don't know. I'd rather talk to him myself to gauge his reaction, but he is one of Logan's closest friends. I wouldn't blame Logan if he asked him about it," she said. "However, I doubt that's why Dick's blowing you off today. If he did do it, he obviously didn't see it as a crime because we've been around each other a lot lately. He doesn't seem guilty about anything. He's probably avoiding you because he invited people you told him not to."

"Yeah," Mac said. She was silent a minute. Then she said, "I know you don't like Dick, but I honestly can't see him doing that to you."

"He was going to drug his own girlfriend! There's no telling what he may be capable of or what he justifies in that idiot brain of his!" Veronica said angrily.

Mac didn't like hearing that, but she knew Veronica's experiences with Dick were very different from her own. "So what's your plan?" she asked Veronica, knowing her friend always had one.

"Would you consider hacking into some medical records? There's only a handful of doctors that the 09ers go to," Veronica said.

Mac's eyes widened in surprise. "How about you try good old-fashion detective work before you ask me to commit a felony?" Mac suggested.

"Okay. But if I can't find out who else has chlamydia, I may be breaking into some doctor's office and looking for records that way," Veronica said.

"Well, before you resort to breaking and entering, I'll see what I can do. But I'm not making any promises," Mac said. "If their records aren't backed up online, it's not that easy to get access remotely. I'd have to go with you."

Veronica's expression brightened. "Good to know," she replied.

"Remember, I'm supposed to be Q, your sidekick computer gadget gal who works in the background. I don't really see myself as your actual physical partner in crime, so I hope we don't have to go that far!" Mac told her.

"I hope not either. I'm going to be asking questions and snooping around at the party Friday," Veronica said.

"Try not to ruin Cassidy's birthday, okay? Leave confrontations for another day. Please?" Mac asked.

"I'll try," Veronica said grudgingly.

"How about we talk about something less depressing?" Mac suggested, changing the subject. "You said you know all my secrets, but I bet you don't know them _all_." She gave Veronica a coy smile.

"What? You're keeping secrets from me? I just told you the most humiliating thing ever, so you gotta spill!" Veronica ordered, happy to have something else to focus on.

Mac gave her that shy smile of hers. "Well, a certain former PCHer has been calling me," she admitted.

Veronica grinned. "Weevil? Weevil's been calling you? Since when? Tell me everything!" she ordered.

"Sunday afternoon I got a flat tire, and Weevil was out driving his bike. He changed my tire, so I bought him lunch," Mac said.

"That's why he bailed on us!" she said knowingly.

"We exchanged numbers, and he called me that night and Monday. Then he didn't call last night, so I called him," she admitted.

"You did? I'm impressed!" Veronica said admiringly.

"He didn't call me because he knew I was out with Cassidy. I think he was kind of jealous," she told Veronica.

"I bet he was!" Veronica said with a laugh.

"He admitted that he didn't like me going out with Cassidy because he wanted me to go out with him," Mac said, blushing.

Veronica's smiled widened. "He really said that? Wow!" she exclaimed.

"Yeah," Mac said.

"What did you say?" Veronica asked.

"I told him that I wasn't going to juggle guys, so I'd talk to Cassidy _after_ his party Friday," Mac said. "I don't want to ruin his birthday."

"So do you want to go out with Weevil?" Veronica asked.

"Yeah, he makes me feel..." her voice trailed off.

"Hot?" Veronica asked with a mischievous twinkle in her eye.

"I don't know if I'd say that...exactly," Mac said, stumbling over her words.

"Come on! You can say it. He makes you feel _hot_!" Veronica teased.

"Well..maybe," she finally admitted with a blush.

"I knew it!" Veronica exclaimed gleefully. "And Cassidy? How does he make you feel?"

"I like Cassidy. We have fun, but he's not even tried to kiss me. So I don't know that we're more than friends. Not really. Being with him is nice, and we have a lot in common. But..." her voice trailed off again.

"But it's not the same. I know what you mean. I dated Duncan, Troy, and Leo before Logan, and I felt something with each of them. However, Logan makes me feel so much more of _everything_ ," Veronica said, fanning herself.

Mac giggled. "I'm not sure I'd go that far," she said.

"Not yet, but you'll get there!" Veronica said. "You just need to spend more time with him. Phone calls are nice and all, but one-on-one time is important. That's how Logan and I quit being enemies. After his mom died, he needed my help with something, and I was there when he needed someone. Things progressed from there."

"I'm not sure if Weevil and I have couple potential or not, but we've definitely connected. It's too soon to say for sure," Mac said.

"I'll have to make sure he shows up to the party Friday," Veronica said, grinning.

"You like to live dangerously, don't you?" Mac asked.

"Not really. It just seems that way. I know I got tired of being the victim and decided to fight back," Veronica said with a determined glint in her eyes. "And when I find out who raped me, they'll wish they were never born!"

Mac had no trouble believing that. She just hoped it wasn't Dick. It never even occurred to her to be worried about Cassidy.

***** _The Next Day_ *****

Weevil drove to Mac's house in his grandmother's car. Mac said her parents loved NASCAR, so they would probably be okay with his bike. However, in Weevil's experience, parents rarely approved of their daughters dating a guy driving a motorcycle. Mac would not agree to go out with him until after she'd talked to Cassidy. So Weevil had convinced her that dropping by for lunch would not be a date. He looked down with a grimace at the Polo shirt he'd borrowed from Logan's closet. Well, borrowed without permission. Logan had accumulated a lot of shirts in the short time he'd lived with them. Weevil doubted he'd miss this one.

Mac blinked in surprise when she opened the door to see Weevil. He had on a black collared shirt tucked into a pair of black jeans. She couldn't help but grin. "Are you on your way to a funeral?" she asked him.

He gave her a disgruntled look. "No. This is my attempt to keep your mom from forbidding you from seeing me!" he informed her.

"My parents wouldn't forbid me from seeing you. They'd just express their concern in a reasonable tone right before you came over or I left with you," she said, flashing her dimple and stepping back for him to come in.

"That would be the beginning of the end," he replied. "I stole this from Logan's closet. I have a suit I wear to church, but I don't usually buy anything preppy."

Mac quit smiling. "Although I appreciate your effort and consideration, you don't have to change the way you look for me," she told him.

"It's just clothes. They don't mean anything to me. I dress up for church out of respect for my grandmother. I can dress nicer out of respect for your parents," he said sincerely.

Mac was surprised and touched by his consideration. He was proving once again that appearances can be deceiving.

"Let's go into the kitchen. I made us some sandwiches. I'll introduce you to my mother. Dad's at work, so you'll only have to meet her," she said. He followed her into the kitchen.

Mac's mom smiled happily to see her come into the kitchen with a gentleman caller. Mac had never had a guy over before. Since Cassidy didn't drive yet, they always hung out at his house. Her mother was practically giddy with suppressed excitement. Mac hoped this wouldn't be too humiliating.

"Mom, this is my friend, Eli Navarro. He's a friend of Veronica's," she explained. Her mom loved Veronica, so that would make her inclined to like Eli.

"It's nice to meet you, Mrs. Mackenzie," Eli said easily.

"Please, call me Natalie. It's so nice to meet you. Cindy rarely has friends over. You must be special," Mrs. Mackenzie said.

Mac's face heated up in embarrassment. "Mom!" she scalded.

Her mom smiled knowingly. "Good news, Cindy. Your brother has convinced me to take him swimming this afternoon. I know I can trust you to be here alone with your friend," she said a hint of a question in her voice.

"Don't worry, Mrs. Mackenzie. I'll behave," Weevil said with a grin.

"Mom!" Mac said. "I'll endeavor to be better than you were at my age!" Her mother had told her a few stories of her teenage years. Her mom was not shy. Obviously, Madison took after her mother. Except her mom was never cruel or mean.

Her mom laughed. She hugged her daughter and waved goodbye. They could hear her calling for Ryan, Mac's little brother.

"She seems cool," Weevil observed as he sat down at the table.

"She is mostly. She just is sometimes disappointed because I'm not into any of the things she was into at my age. She was really popular and involved in everything. I prefer my own company most of the time," Mac said as she grabbed the plate of sandwiches.

"Well, at least she cares enough to stick around. That's more than some parents," he said without explaining further. He didn't have to. He'd given her the background of his family situation on the phone. Sometimes it was easier to share personal information when you didn't have to face the person you were talking to.

"True. She's a good mother. We're just different. But she loves me, and I guess that's what matters," she said. "What would you like to drink? Ginger ale, water, milk, coke, diet coke?"

"I'll take a ginger ale," Weevil said.

When lunch was ready, Mac sat down next to Weevil at the table. "So tell me again how you convinced me lunch at my house would _not_ be a date?" she asked, smiling.

"Hey, friends hang out and eat lunch," he replied with a grin. He picked up his sandwich.

They ate in silence a few minutes. "Are you coming to Cassidy's party tomorrow night?" Mac inquired.

"I think I should since Veronica is on a mission. Things could get ugly," he said.

"She told you?" Mac asked surprised.

"No. Logan and her were arguing loudly in my presence. Logan doesn't know when to keep his mouth shut," Weevil said.

"I guess that's not surprising," Mac said with a rueful smile.

"I know you're friends with Dick, right?" Weevil asked.

"Somewhat. Why?"

"You think he messed with V?" Weevil wondered.

"No, I really don't. But then again, I haven't known him long. He's really like a big puppy dog most of the time. Not a snake. He's so upfront. Even when he's being an ass, he doesn't hide things. Whoever did this is someone altogether different from Dick, I think," Mac said.

"I know he's one of Logan's close friends. I'm not sure how he'd take it if it was Dick," Weevil remarked.

"I have a feeling that none of us will take it well when we find out who it is because it has to be someone we go to school with. That Logan is friends with," Mac said.

They finished eating in somber silence. Finally, Weevil said, "So are you going to show me your room?"

Mac gave him a shy smile. "Okay. If you want," she said. They both put their dishes in the sink. Mac led him through the house to her room. "It's kind of small," she said as she opened the door.

Weevil walked into a small room stuffed with books. They were everywhere. "You read all these books?" he asked in awe.

"Well, yeah. Some I read when I was a kid. I tend to hold onto them. My dad builds me shelves whenever I run out of room," Mac said.

Weevil browsed the shelves. She seemed to have a wide range of books. One thing she didn't have was those Harlequin romance novels his grandmother loved to read. "I don't see very many chick books," he observed.

"Chick books?" she asked with a grin.

"You know. Romance novels. My grandmother likes to read those," Weevil said.

"Oh, there's a few loves stories. Mostly classics like _Gone with the Wind_ , _Wuthering Heights_ , and _Pride and Prejudice._ I mostly prefer mysteries or science fiction," Mac said. "How about you?"

Weevil shrugged. "I haven't really read much since I was a boy," he admitted.

"Would you like to borrow a book from me? Since you aren't running the roads with your home boys, you have more time," she teased.

"Nice of you to remind me," he said dryly.

She flashed her dimples at him, so he couldn't really be annoyed. She pulled a book off her shelf. "I just read this one. It's so good! It's about a young boy in the future sent to military school to be trained to be a leader that may save the world from an alien invasion," Mac said as she handed him a book.

" _Ender's Game_? It's about a game?" Weevil asked.

"The boy's name is Ender. Part of his training is military games. I think you'll like it. He has to make tough decisions at a young age. You have that in common, I think," Mac said.

Weevil examined the book. "This doesn't seem like a girl book," he said.

"Oh, because I'm a girl, I can only read girl books?" she asked in mock outrage.

Weevil grinned. "You're not like other girls, are you?" he asked.

"No, so you might as well understand that now," Mac said.

"I kind of like that you're not like other girls," Weevil said with an admiring glance. He reached out and lifted a strand of purple striped hair.

Mac blushed. Her stomach clenched as he moved his hand down to lace their hands together. Their eyes locked, and Mac froze. None of her experience had prepared her for a moment like this—a boy in her room. A boy that made it clear he liked her. A boy that was staring at her like he wanted to kiss her. Then suddenly, he was kissing her. It was a kiss designed to make her burn and long for more. She started to move her hands—she didn't know where—but she wanted to hold on to something. Needed something to steady her. Something to slow her racing heart. Then he pulled back and looked apologetic.

"I'm sorry. I couldn't seem to help myself," he said, giving her a slow smile.

Mac stepped back, putting some distance between them. She took a deep breath. "Yeah, you need to stop doing that!" she scolded as she sat down on her bed.

"I know. I'm sorry. I should probably go. Maybe your bedroom isn't the best place for me," he said with a mischievous grin.

Despite her best intentions, she couldn't help but return his smile. "Okay, so no more lunch dates until I talk to Cassidy," she told him.

"So you wanna walk me to my car at least?" he said. He held the book in one hand and held out his other for her.

She put her hand in his and let him pull her to her feet. She started to pull her hand away, but he didn't seem inclined to let go. When she gave him a questioning look, he just grinned unashamed. They continued holding hands as they walked to his car.

When they got there, he turned to face her. "Thanks for lunch. And the loan of the book," he said holding it up. "I'll give it a try."

"If you don't like it, that's okay. Logan loved it, though," Mac shared.

"Really? Logan reads?" Weevil asked in surprise. He hadn't noticed him reading at the house.

"Not only does he read a lot, but I think he remembers everything he reads. He just doesn't care that much about school," Mac said.

"Huh. I guess Logan and I still have a lot to learn about each other," Weevil said in bemusement.

"Veronica isn't with him just because he's pretty," Mac said with a smile.

Weevil rolled his eyes. "So I guess I'll see you tomorrow night?" he said.

"Yeah. Um..I'll be there. With..um. You know. Cassidy," she said awkwardly. How did she get in this situation?

For a moment, Weevil's eyes darkened in displeasure at the reminder. Then he gave her hand a slight squeeze. "So maybe I'll make myself scarce. I'm going to bring Hector as my date, but I promise not to kiss him goodnight. Will you make the same promise?" he asked with a wicked grin.

She blushed and looked away. "Well, he's not kissed me yet. Except for during spin the bottle," Mac admitted.

Weevil put the book under his arm and reached out and grabbed her other hand. "That makes me really happy to hear," he said.

Mac's heart raced. God, he was so sexy. She didn't realize that she'd ever be into bad boys. However, his smile did something to her insides. "I can't make any promises," she said anyway, trying to sound cool.

"I can. I promise to wait for you," he said sincerely. He leaned in and kissed her softly on cheek. Then he got into his car and left.

Mac watched him until he drove up. Then she put her hand on the cheek he had kissed. Her life had really begun to change. It felt like maybe the beginning of something—something really great. She smiled at the thought and turned to go inside.

***** _Chapter End*_ ****

_I am really enjoying writing Mac/Weevil moments. It's different. However, I haven't given up on MaDi, so those of you that are rooting for Dick it's not over. Dick's going to need Mac really soon. I'm not so sure Weevil will like sharing her. Do you? Feedback is always welcome! The next chapter is all MaDi! :)_


	31. Dick's Dilemma

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> This chapter is dedicated to all my MaDi fans! Although I am bringing Mac and Weevil closer, it doesn't mean that Dick will disappear from her life. He needs her. I think this chapter will make that clear.

****** _Thursday Almost Where We Left Off_ ******

Dick wrestled all morning with what to do about his brother. Between Logan's questioning and his own discoveries, he was really starting to panic. He was indecisive and needed help. He should've met with Mac yesterday and gotten her help, but he just wasn't sure how to bring it up to her. After pacing and looking up his own disturbing info online, he decided to just look up Mac's address and go see her. He'd bring her the copies of the notebook he found. He went through a drive-thru and grabbed a burger and Coke on his way. He parked his truck across the street from her house and turned it off. He was finishing his burger when her front door opened. He choked on his drink when he saw Weevil coming out with her. His eyes bugged in shock. He coughed and put the drink down, not believing his eyes.

Mac was holding hands with Weevil. Dick couldn't believe it. What the hell was going on? She walked him to some old, ugly car. She was giving Weevil that shy smile of hers. Weevil was obviously digging whatever she was saying—Dick could tell. He knew for sure when Weevil leaned in and kissed her. It was quick. Dick wasn't even sure if it was on her lips, but it didn't matter. What mattered was the shock and disappointment Dick felt in knowing that Mac, the girl he'd come to like and admire, was cheating on his brother.

Dick sat there a few minutes, his mind racing. He was torn. He needed Mac's help, but now he was angry and upset with her. Yesterday, Logan had pissed him off, and now Mac was acting like someone he didn't know or understand. Coming to a decision, he got out of his car after Weevil drove off. Mac was opening her front door about to go into her house.

"Mac!" he called out.

She stopped and turned. "Dick? What are you doing here?" she asked in surprised.

"I came to see you 'cause I needed your help, but I find that you're busy cheating on my brother! What's wrong with you? I didn't think you were like that!" he accused, his anger and disappointment apparent.

Mac winced. Guilt and embarrassment filled her. Although she knew that she really didn't do anything wrong, she understood Dick's outrage. "Dick, you're brother and I are barely dating. How can I be cheating on him?" she said simply.

"So he knows you're spending time with Weevil?" Dick asked suspiciously. When Mac's mouth opened and then closed, he got angrier. "I didn't think so. Not cool, Mackie! Not cool at all!"

"Dick, your brother and I are mostly just friends. I like him, but he's not even kissed me. I don't think there's really anything there. I'm sorry," she said softly.

Dick frowned, still feeling torn and confused. "Weevil? You've got to be kidding me! How could you be in to him? He's short and tattooed!" Dick said in outrage.

Mac bit back a smile. Dick's view points always made her want to laugh somehow. "I'm short, so he's taller than me. I don't care about his tattoos. I streak my hair unnatural colors. So what? I like him. I'm sorry," she told him.

"Have you told Beaver?" Dick questioned.

"I will. I wanted to wait until after his birthday. Weevil and I aren't going out until I do, so don't worry. He just came over for lunch. He wasn't even here a full hour," she explained, still feeling a bit guilty.

Dick crossed his arms and frowned but didn't comment further.

"Why don't you come inside and tell me why you're here? How can I help you?" she asked. She pushed opened her front door all the way and motioned him inside.

She led him into the kitchen. Opening the fridge, she gave him a can of Coke and grabbed a bottle of water for herself. "So what's up? You didn't invite every 09er in town, I hope," she said, sitting down across from him at the table.

"A lot of them are gone for the summer. I don't even think Maddie's in town," he remarked. "But I did do what you asked and invited a few of his bat boy brothers or whatever they're called."

"That's good. I got the food and drinks covered," Mac said.

"I got the booze!" Dick said with a grin.

Mac rolled her eyes and sighed. She knew there was no point in arguing with him. "So we've got it covered then," she said.

"I didn't come here to talk about the party," Dick said. "I wanted to tell you something, but it's lame."

Mac gave him a curious look. "Dick, I know we've not known each other long, but I hope you consider me a friend," Mac said sincerely. "You can talk to me."

"I thought we were friends but.." his voice trailed off. He looked away a moment then back. "That was before I saw you sneaking around with that thug Weevil."

Mac was starting to get mad. "Okay, Dick, that's enough! I was _not_ sneaking around with Weevil! Nor is he a thug! He just came over. We had lunch. He went home. Now what's going on?" she asked impatiently.

"It's about Beaver. I'm worried about him," Dick admitted.

"You are?" Mac asked in surprise. "What's wrong?"

"Remember the day we were in his room, and I got on his laptop?" Dick asked. She nodded. "Well, I saw some stuff on his browser history that kind of freaked me out."

"What did you see?" she asked.

"Well, there was the how to build a bomb site I told you about. But I also saw a site about the Columbine killers and then one about the California law for underage killers," Dick shared worriedly.

Mac could tell he was genuinely concerned, so she didn't want to dismiss him out of hand. "Well, Dick, he could be doing a research paper or watched a report on 20/20 that made him curious. Why are you so worried?" she asked.

"Because that's not all. I was snooping around his room and found this serial killer like picture," Dick said, pulling out a photo and handing it to Mac.

Mac warily took the picture but smiled when she saw an adorable picture of Cassidy in his baseball uniform. It was a group photo that she'd not seen before. He looked to be around ten years old.

"Why are you smiling? It's not funny!" Dick said in outrage.

"Your brother was so cute!" she exclaimed.

"What are you talking about? Don't you see the angry, serial killer pen markings around the coach?" Dick pointed. He'd done some online research himself, and the more he read, the more freaked out and suspicious he became.

Mac examined the photo and saw what Dick was referring to. "Well, I can tell Cassidy must've not liked his coach, but why are you calling it a serial killer marking? I think you're letting your imagination go a bit crazy," she remarked.

"Okay, maybe, but can you explain away this," Dick said handing her the copies of the notebook. "I found this notebook under his bed. I copied it and put it back. It's some messed up shit!"

Finally, Mac became worried. On one page, there was a drawing of a classroom with desks. There was a big desk in front labeled teacher's desk. Then two of the student's desk with the letters P and M written on it. They were circled. A side note that said _too many casualties._ Another was a drawing of a school bus going around a curve. The note said _casualties contained_. Then their was a drawing of Shark Stadium and written in angry writing were the words _Woody Must Die_!

"Oh, my God!" she exclaimed, clearing thrown by the drawings. "Who's Woody?"

"That's the little league coach. The one he practically stabbed with his ink pen! He was a professional baseball player. He works for the city now doing something," Dick said.

"I wonder who the P and M stand for? What did this coach do to him?" Mac asked upset.

"What did _he_ do? What is _Beaver_ planning on doing to him and others?" Dick demanded. "Am I crazy for thinking this is some f*** up sh**? I don't know what to do!"

Mac could tell Dick was on the edge of panic. She reached out and squeezed his hand comfortingly. "It's okay. Calm down. I'm glad you showed this to me. We'll figure this out," Mac said.

Dick looked relieved. "Thank God! I don't like feeling like this," he said.

"First, we need to talk to Veronica. She'll be able to figure this out," Mac said.

"What? Hell no! You are _not_ telling Ronnie! Are you nuts?" Dick said standing to his feet.

"Why not? This is what she does. She figures stuff out," Mac said reasonably.

"You cannot tell her! I mean it Mac. Especially not when we don't know what it means. Yesterday, Logan was over my house all but accusing me of raping Veronica. Then he started asking if Beaver did it! They're looking to blame me or my brother for something. If they find out about this, they won't bother looking very hard to figure out what's going on!" Dick informed her.

Mac wanted to protest, but she realized he had a point. "Well, we need to talk to him or do something. We can't ignore this," she said.

"I know. That's what I was thinking. He keeps a journal on his computer. You are going to have to ignore your scruples for once and get in to it," Dick told her, sitting back down.

Mac nodded, knowing he was right. "Okay. How can we get to it? When I'm over your place, I'm usually with him and the computer's usually in the room with us," Mac replied.

"Tomorrow night at the party. He'll be distracted. Lots of people. You can let me know when you're going into his room, and I'll distract him downstairs," Dick said.

"That might work. But just so you know, Veronica will probably be nosing around, too," Mac shared.

"I can't waste energy worry about her right now. Let's see what we can find out on the computer. Just promise me you won't say a word to her or Logan," Dick pleaded.

"I won't. I promise. But if we find out something, we should talk to her dad maybe. Keith will know what to do," Mac said.

"Alright. But if the computer tells us something, we gotta talk to Beaver first. Get his side. Maybe he just needs like a counselor or something," Dick said.

Mac gave him a sympathetic look. "Well, Dick, I think it may be past that at this point. If he's seriously planning to hurt people, he needs more help than a simple counselor. You can't brush this under the rug or let your dad do that. He deserves more than that from us," Mac said.

Dick was silent a minute or two. He looked stricken when he spoke again to Mac. "I'm not a very good brother. I never have been," he said softly. He got up. "Thanks."

He turned to leave. Mac got up to follow him. When he made it to her front door, she reached out and grabbed his hand. He turned toward her. "Dick, it's going to be okay. We'll figure this out, and we'll help Cassidy," Mac assured her. "It's not too late to be the brother he needs."

Dick gave her a sad look. Then he nodded and walked out her door. Mac stood and watched him get into his truck and drive off before she shut her door. She went into the kitchen and grabbed the pictures Dick left and took them into her room. Tomorrow morning, she was taking Cassidy to take his driving test. How was she going to manage acting normal around him? She wasn't the actress Veronica was. Mac really wished Dick would let her talk to Veronica about this. Suddenly, the entire thing seemed too big for her. Then she went to her computer and began doing her own research. Maybe she'd find something. She had to do something because she couldn't just act like everything was normal.

***** _Later that Day_ *****

Dick was in his living room flipping the channels. He finally stopped it on a news channel. Then his brother came in.

"Hey," Beaver said.

"Hey," Dick said. He tried to act casual, so ge kept watching the news.

"Want some popcorn?" his brother asked, offering him the bowl as he sat down on the couch.

Dick reached over and grabbed some. "So are you ready for your big test tomorrow?" Dick asked.

"Yeah. It's going to be fine," Beaver said confidently. "It's kind of lame having Mac do all the driving. I'd like to be able to pick her up when we go out, you know?"

Dick looked back to the TV, feeling guilty. "Well, sure," he said. Then he glanced at his brother. He had to ask. "So you really like her, don't you?"

"Well, yeah. She's great!" Beaver said with a smile. "She's not like most girls."

"Maybe," he said noncommittally. "But in my experience most girls at their heart are the same. Always looking for someone better."

"Dude, you really need to date someone that's not Madison Sinclair. There are girls out there that aren't like her. Veronica's not. Neither is Meg and Mac for sure isn't. She treats me with respect. She doesn't look down on me or put me down," Beaver said, his admiration obvious.

Dick couldn't help but wince. He knew that he and their dad put Beaver down all the time. He watched his brother closely. He seemed normal, just watching the news, eating popcorn. Dick listened to the news report. Some more shootings in Los Angeles—gang related.

"I'm glad the PCHers don't go around shooting up our town," Dick commented.

"Yeah," Beaver said.

Dick turned to his brother. "What do you think makes them do those kinds of things?" he asked Beaver.

His brother looked surprise. Dick never asked questions like that. His brother was never thoughtful. "How would I know?" Beaver replied with a shrug. "I don't know anyone who goes around doing that, but I'd guess they were pissed about something."

"I get pissed sometimes. I don't think about getting a gun out and killing anyone," Dick pointed out.

His brother gave a laugh that was tinged with bitterness. "Like you have ever really had anything to get that mad about. Your life is without problems. You have money and friends. No one messes with you. Madison or Veronica are probably the only two people you've ever been pissed at," his brother told him.

"Not true. I got mad at Logan just yesterday," Dick shared.

"Really?" Beaver asked in surprise. His brother never fought with his friends, especially not Logan. "Did you insult Veronica again?"

"No, he was asking me if I'd raped Veronica at Shelley's party last year," Dick said bluntly. He decided not to mention the questions about Cassidy. No need in making him pissed at Logan, too.

"What? No way!" his brother said in surprise.

"Yeah. I told him not to come around if he was going to start throwing out accusations. Him or Ronnie. Like I'd actually have sex with her! Her dad carries a gun. He was still Sheriff then. I'm not as dumb as people think!" Dick exclaimed.

"I know you're not," Beaver said loyally.

"Anyway, he made me mad, but I wouldn't want to kill him over it," Dick said, for once staying on his topic.

"Most people don't kill their friends. They kill their enemies, especially those gang bangers. Or they kill people they feel has been disloyal and betrayed them. Or maybe someone that hurt them," Beaver said.

Dick nodded. He wanted to say something brotherly to his brother, let him know that he cared. However, he didn't want his brother to grow suspicious. Finally, he said, "I'm sorry I've not been a good brother. I know I could do better."

Beaver's eyes widened in surprise. "Are you feeling okay? What's got into you?" he asked.

Dick looked uncomfortable. "Well, tomorrow's your birthday, and I've been hanging out with Mac. You know how girls are. She's got me to thinking about things. I suck sometimes," he admitted.

"I'm definitely going to have to marry her if she's got you realizing what an ass you can be!" Beaver said with a grin.

Dick tried to return his smile but failed. It was just too much. Mac was going to break up with his brother, and the knowledge of that weighed heavily on him.

Beaver's smile faded when his brother didn't respond. "Dick, you may be an ass, but you're my brother. The only person I've got that probably cares a shit about me. I'd never want anything to happen to you," his brother told him.

Dick finally smiled in relief. It was good to know he hadn't caused his brother to hate him. "I'll do better. I'd never want anything bad to happen to you either," he said to Beaver.

Beaver looked away. "Sometimes, we can't protect people," he said quietly, causing Dick to frown.

Dick didn't know what to say, so he said nothing.

They watched the news a few minutes in silence. "You know you haven't told me what you want for your birthday," Dick said.

"A car?" his brother suggested with a grin.

Dick grinned. "I'm sure Dad's got that covered," he said.

"You think? Did he tell you?" Beaver asked excitedly.

"No. But he got me my truck for my sixteenth birthday," Dick said. His brother looked happy. Dick made a mental note to talk to his dad and find out what exactly he got Beaver.

This was all too much for Dick. He felt confused and even frightened. He looked at his brother again. He seemed okay. "I need to do something," he said. He got up. "You wanna go surfing with me?"

Beaver frowned. He really wasn't very good at it, but he knew how. He had to learn because it was the only thing his brother ever really wanted to do with him besides play video games. "I guess," he said.

Dick finally smiled. "Cool. I know you don't love it like I do, but there's something so calming and relaxing about being on the water. Taking a wave is like flying free," Dick said.

Beaver got up grinning from the couch. "I'm not sure what's got into you. First, you're having serious thoughts, showing concern for me, and now you're waxing poetic about the ocean. I'm impressed!" his brother joked, hitting him lightly on the arm.

Dick got embarrassed and shoved him. "I'll meet you down here in five," he said, turning to go to his room and grab his stuff.

An hour on the water not worrying about anything was exactly what he needed. The ocean was the best therapy of all. Maybe it'd help his brother.

****** _Chapter End******_

_ I apologize for neglecting LoVe and shifting the story. However, I will always get back to them! Comments are always very appreciated. Thanks! _

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Okay, any of you Dick haters out there, has your stone heart melted with this chapter? Oh, how I wish it did happen this way! I know many just see Cassidy as a monster, but I can't help but give him some sympathy. I think some monsters are created not born. A person can't be sexually abused and then mentally and emotionally by family without lasting damage. Can Dick save him? I won't leave you hanging for long! Those who still see Cassidy's act as unforgivable, did you know that the brain of a teenager is the same as that of a schizophrenic? Teenagers act crazy and do irrational things because they often are physically incapable of acting normal. Cassidy was fifteen maybe fourteen when he raped Veronica. Should he be damned forever? Doesn't Dick hold just as much responsibility? In my story, Cassidy hasn't murdered anyone, so I can't help but want things to be different for him. Although this is AU, I don't want to undo his act of rape. Just put it in a different prospective and expand the characters of both brothers. As I'm sure you've picked up on if you've read my stories, I like to get into the heads of the characters whenever I can! I hope you don't mind! I must stress, though, I am not trying to minimize the very violent nature of rape nor justified or excuse it. I just wanted to go a different way with Cassidy in this tale as I did with many element's from Thomas' season 2.


	32. Gifts and Always

****** _Friday Morning*_ *****

Logan got up early Friday morning and went surfing. The doctor and Lettie had both given permission. Logan knew that he didn't need Weevil's grandmother to give him permission, but she had taken such good care of him the past few weeks. She hadn't been very happy when he'd went to the beach last Saturday and had gotten wet. She had clucked and scolded him. Then she dragged him to the doctor Monday before summer school to make sure no infection had set in. There was no signs of it, so Logan knew that it would be fine if he went almost a week later. He needed to surf because he needed to clear his head that was way too full. He thought about calling Duncan or Dick to go with him. However, Dick had gotten really upset with him on Wednesday and hadn't called him since. Logan wanted to clear the air with him, but with Veronica still not knowing who had raped her, he didn't know what to say. There was no way he could stop her from looking further at Logan's friends, Cassidy included. In the end, he decided not to call Duncan either.

Veronica said she didn't blame him, but Logan could feel her withdrawing from him. If he wasn't so sensitive to her moods, he may not have noticed. However, she hadn't wanted to do much more than snuggle with him the last time they were together, and she hadn't wanted to see him at all yesterday. Of course, she said she had to work at the Hut, but she didn't ask him to stop by. Logan sat on his board looking out at the water. The waves weren't very strong today, so he spent most of his time letting the calm wash over him, relaxing him. The tension he'd been carrying all week began to recede.

He thought about how he'd handle it if one of his friends ended up being the guy responsible for hurting the woman he had grown to love so much. Since he had no real family to speak of, Logan had always valued his friends all the more. The thought of one of them having hurt her upset him. It sickened him, but it also burdened him with guilt. No one would've thought to hurt her at all if he hadn't made it clear that he wanted to punish her. That it was okay—even encouraged. How could he muster the anger he normally would at the thought of someone hurting her when he had hurt her most of all? And yet she had been willing to forgive him, to date him—and he hoped—to open her heart to him. It would take a long time before Logan forgave himself. If Dick ended up being the one responsible, he wasn't sure he could take it. Dick was like a brother to him. He followed Logan's lead in all things. He'd been the first to accept he was dating Veronica when Duncan had not. Dick always had his back. He never lied to Logan. Was he lying the other day when he denied hurting her? He seemed outraged and insulted at Logan's doubt. Or was the anger just to mask his guilt?

Logan decided that he could survive whatever the truth was if he and Veronica faced it together. When he carried his board back to his truck, he was more resolute in his determination. She needed him now more than ever. Even if she didn't want to admit it, he knew that she did. He wasn't going to let her push him away. No matter who the culprit ended up being.

He went home to shower and change before dropping by to see Veronica.

Veronica opened her front door impatiently. She didn't exactly welcome Logan. He frowned. "What's wrong?" he asked.

"My alarm didn't go off. I'm supposed to be at work already. I work 9 to 2 today, but I'm already ten minutes late," she said. She grabbed her bag and keys. "So you'll have to walk me to my car."

"I missed seeing you yesterday, and I wanted to spend time with you," Logan said as they went down her stairs.

She gave him a small smile. "I know. I'm sorry I'm so rushed," she said.

When the arrived at her car, she turned toward him. She reached up to kiss him. He couldn't resist wrapping his arms around her and deepening the kiss. After a minute, she pulled back. "I really have to go, Logan," she said with a regretful smile.

"Can I just drive you to work and pick you up?" Logan asked. "I'd like to spend some time with you before the party tonight."

She reluctantly agreed, and they quickly headed over to his vehicle. Logan was happy she conceded, so he didn't try to kiss her again before saying goodbye at her work.

After he got back into his truck, he decided to head over to Duncan's. He hadn't really talked to his best friend in a while, and he needed someone to talk to. Although he and Weevil had actually become friends and not adversaries, Weevil couldn't really understand what he was going through. Weevil just became angry and wanted to hurt someone, mainly him, whenever the thought of Veronica being hurt came up.

Duncan was happy to see Logan. "Glad you stopped by. I wanted to call, but I felt kind of weird about it with the whole STD thing. What with me sleeping with Veronica and her not even remembering it and all," Duncan said awkwardly as they went up to his room.

"Yeah, it's pretty messed up. Imagine how I feel? I gave you the GHB, and I turned the school against her," Logan said.

"You are not any more to blame than I am, Logan," Duncan told him. "I was the one who didn't even tell her why I broke up. I was too horrified to even tell you. Nor did I put a stop to what you and everyone else was doing. So if you want to blame someone, blame me."

They both sat there in silence for several minutes. Each thinking morose thoughts. Finally, Logan said, "You know I managed to piss off Dick the other day."

"Really?" Duncan said in surprise.

"Yeah. I was hanging out at his place and decided to ask him if he raped Veronica," Logan said.

"Wow! Um. Well. Uh, do you really think he did?" Duncan asked, unsure of how to respond to that information.

"No, of course not. But I could see him justifying his actions if he thought she was in to it or something. She wasn't herself at the party. That's why I was drinking shots off of her. She was letting me. I thought it was funny that she was so drunk," Logan said in disgust. "Of course, I had no idea she was drugged."

"I remember that part. I pulled her away from you," Duncan remarked.

"That's when I gave you the drugged drink," Logan said. He picked up the pillow from Duncan's bed and hit it in frustration. "What's wrong with me? Why would I do that? I'm not really sure what Veronica sees in me sometimes. Why is she with me?"

Duncan grinned. "Beats the hell out of me! I've wondered that myself more than once," he said.

When Logan didn't smile back, he got serious. "No, I'm teasing. I hated it at first, but you make her happy. She's changed a lot since Lilly died. You fit her now more than I do. You both have a ragged edge that I don't really have," Duncan said.

"She's pulling away," Logan admitted.

"Don't let her," he replied gloomily.

"I don't plan on it. I just hope this party tonight won't be a disaster. Veronica's determined to see if Cassidy or Dick ever had chlamydia. I doubt they'd keep the medicine bottles in their medicine cabinets after all this time," Logan said. "But I don't see the point in upsetting her by pointing that probability out."

"Yeah, and Veronica just now found out she has it. Maybe whoever else was with her doesn't know they have it," Duncan pointed out.

"Possibly. But the doctor said it was women who sometimes didn't show symptoms. He said 30% of women didn't have symptoms, but they were carriers. I took that to mean that guys would," Logan said.

"It's not really something I'd ever tell another guy, so I can't really say," Duncan said.

"Me either. I just know Veronica won't have any peace until she has answers. She's like a dog with a bone," Logan said.

"Yeah, I know," Duncan replied with a small smile.

"So how's things going with you and Meg?" Logan asked.

"Good. She's letting me get close to her again, but she still won't refer to me as her boyfriend," Duncan shared.

"How's her parents?" Logan inquired.

"They treat me with veiled contempt when I come over, but they refrain from outright rudeness. Meg's not really showing yet. She seems to think that their behavior will get worse when it becomes impossible to hide," Duncan said.

"Don't let them upset her. Once when I was about five or six, my mom was pregnant," Logan revealed. Duncan looked surprised. "Yeah, no one knows. Trina and I don't exactly share our family history with others. Anyway, Mom was only a few months along. It was when she found out about one of Dad's affairs. I think it might've been the first time she realized he was a cheater. They got into a big argument over it. Then that night she lost the baby."

"Wow, man! I didn't know. That sucks," Duncan said.

"Yeah, so just make sure her parents don't ride her too hard while she's pregnant. If she starts getting upset, then you should intervene," Logan advised.

Duncan nodded. "I will, man. I know we're too young to be parents, but I don't want anything to happen to our baby," Duncan said.

Logan understood his sentiment. If Veronica ever got pregnant with his baby, he'd go nuts if something happened to her or the baby.

***** _Mac and Cassidy_ *****

Mac picked Cassidy up early to go to the DMV to take his test. He was excited and a bit nervous.

"Happy Birthday," Mac said as he got into her car. "Do you want to drive there?"

"No, your car's so much smaller than Dick's truck or my dad's car, so I don't anticipate any problems," Cassidy said confidently.

Mac pulled out of his drive. "Okay, if you're sure. I almost expected your dad to have a car waiting for you or something," Mac said.

"Me, too. Dick says he thought Dad would get me one, but he had an early meeting. He said he'd be back by lunch time," Cassidy said.

Mac hoped for once his dad wouldn't disappoint him. However, she didn't expect him to in this case. Most 09er parents could be counted on to overspend when it came to birthdays. She couldn't help but think about her last birthday when Madison's dad had showed up at the school showering her with attention and gifts. Then Madison's birthday party. Those were _her_ parents. That should have been her life. She kept thinking about that as she waited for Cassidy to take his test. Now that her life seemed to be connected with some of the 09ers, she couldn't help but wonder what things would've been like if she had been raised with the Sinclairs. Would she have been dating Dick? Or maybe Cassidy and her would have grown up as childhood sweethearts? Suddenly, she had a desire to tell someone. Veronica had found out her secret for her, but Mac had never told another person about it. She hadn't even been able to confront her parents about it.

When Cassidy came into the DMV waiting area with a big grin, Mac knew that now wasn't the time to start sharing her biggest secret. Nor was Cassidy the guy she could see unburdening herself with. Not now. Not with so many lingering questions about him.

"You passed?" she asked.

"Yep. 90%!" Cassidy shared happily.

"Congratulations!" she said getting up to give him a hug. She put her worries and misgivings about him out of her mind. She didn't know anything for sure yet.

They walked back to her car. She handed him the keys. "Why don't you drive us some place to celebrate?" she suggested.

He grinned proudly and took the keys from her. "It's kind of early for real celebration, though," he said as he started her car.

"We can grab a cappuccino at the Java Hut. My treat," Mac said.

Veronica was working as hostess and wished Cassidy a happy birthday. Mac told her he'd passed his driving test. The place was busy, so Veronica didn't linger to talk and passed them off to a server. They ordered a cappuccino and decided to split a chocolate muffin.

Mac was about to get his birthday gift out of her bag when she noticed his brooding expression. Mac looked and saw he was looking at Veronica as she sat the table near them. "What's wrong?" Mac asked.

"Logan was hanging with Dick on Wednesday and asked him if he raped Veronica when she was roofied at Shelley's party," Cassidy said with a frown.

Mac wasn't surprised to hear this, so she just asked, "Do you think he did?"

Cassidy shook his head. "No. He's never been attracted to her. She was always Lilly's best friend and belonged to Duncan. He's a loyal kind of guy. He doesn't really lust after girls he has labeled someone elses," Cassidy said. Then he gave a half smirk. "Not to mention, he's all about the easy lay."

Mac couldn't help but smile at that remark. Dick did seem to like sure things.

"Also, he's always been kind of afraid of her dad," Cassidy said with a grin. "Of course, these days I think he's more afraid of her."

"Yes, I've noticed," Mac said. She didn't want to focus on all the drama that surrounded them, so she changed the subject by reaching down into her bag and bringing up a wrapped box. "How about we talk about something less depressing? It's your birthday. I wanted you to open your present before the party."

Cassidy gave her a shy smile as he accepted her gift. He carefully unwrapped it. He stared in surprise at what she'd given him. It was a silver framed 5x7 picture of him and Dick.

"I snapped it that first weekend we hung out. I didn't think my cell took such good pictures until I uploaded them onto my computer," Mac said.

Cassidy glanced at her, his expression unreadable. He looked down at the photo. In the shot, Dick had put his arm around him in a headlock. Cassidy remembered they had been horsing around, showing off in front of Mac. The photo showed Dick's smiling profile looking down at his brother. Cassidy was looking up at his brother with a rare grin on his face. The picture showed something Cassidy hadn't really believed existed between him and Dick. It showed evidence of a bond. A bond that no amount of cruelty or teasing or arguments could ever truly sever.

Mac could tell that the photo shook Cassidy. She hadn't realized it would upset him. Suddenly, she felt embarrassed. "I'm sorry. It's not expensive. I hadn't noticed you having very many recent pictures of you and none of the two of you together," Mac said, a note of apology in her voice.

Cassidy finally met her gaze, his eyes revealing his vulnerability. "I never really realized," he said, his voice trailing off.

"Realized what?" Mac asked.

"What it means to have a brother. The connection," Cassidy said absently, still gazing down at the picture.

"Yeah, my little brother makes me nuts. Mostly, I want to smack him. But he's my brother. We share a bond. Memories and history that no one else can share," Mac said.

Cassidy nodded. That made sense.

"Your brother loves you, Cassidy. If anyone was ever hurting you, he'd be there for you. He'd want to help," Mac said, unable to resist reminding him.

Before he could reply, the server brought them their muffin, interrupting the moment. "Thanks," Cassidy said, his expression shuttered.

Mac wished so much she knew what was going on in his head. Images of the pictures Dick found flashed in her mind. What was going on with him? And could she really betray his trust and violate his privacy to find out? How could she not?

***** _Casablancas*_ ****

Dick went downstairs looking for his dad. Kendall was drinking coffee and reading the paper. She barely glanced at him when he came into the kitchen. "Where's my dad?" Dick asked.

"He's in his study," she replied without looking up.

Dick went in there and found his dad on the phone. He waited until his dad hung up. Before he could ask his dad about what he got Beaver for his birthday, his dad asked, "Where's your brother?"

"He's upstairs. Didn't he come tell you? Mac took him to get his license. He passed," Dick said.

"I just came in from a meeting. I'm going to have to leave earlier than I planned. One of the construction sites are having issues," Dick Sr. said.

"What do you mean you're going? It's his birthday. Where's his car?" Dick asked.

"What car?" his dad asked absently, as he scrolled threw his cell phone.

"It's his sixteenth birthday. Didn't you get him a car?" Dick asked.

"Why don't you go get him so I can give him his birthday gift before I leave?" his dad said, not answering.

Dick went to the foot of the stairs and hollered his brother's name. His brother came to the top of the stairs. "What?" he asked.

"Dad wants you down in his study. He wants to give you his gift," Dick told him.

Cassidy went downstairs eagerly. He followed his older brother into the study.

"Happy birthday, son," Dick Sr. said. He opened the cabinet behind his desk and presented an expensive looking wooden box.

Cassidy exchanged a questioning look with his brother, who shrugged. Cassidy opened the box.

"It's a Colt semi-automatic pistol. Model 1911. It used to be the standard handgun used for the U.S. Military," his dad explained. "Now you can go to the practicing range with me and your brother. We'll show you how a man holds a gun."

His dad seemed proud of the gift. Cassidy looked up at his dad, his expression full of dismay and disappointment. Why had he actually expected something more from this man who had only ever shown him contempt and ridicule? He didn't bother sharing his disappointment with his father. He had learned long ago not to give his father any weapons to use against him. "Thanks," he said. He took the box and walked out of the study.

Dick was dumbfounded. He watched his brother leave and turned an angry gaze on his father. "Are f***ing kidding me? You bought him a _gun_? It's his sixteenth birthday! You're supposed to buy him a car like you did me. Remember the truck you bought me?" Dick said angrily.

"It's your mother's turn to buy a car. That's the deal. If she fails to, then be mad at her. That's not a cheap gift I gave him. It cost close to $2000," his dad said dismissively. He looked at his watch. "I've got to go. Kendall and I will be back after our honeymoon. I'll have my cell phone on me, so you can reach me if there's any problems." His dad grabbed his briefcase and left.

Dick felt sick. It was like blinders had been removed from his eyes. For the first time, he saw his father as his brother must see him. Cassidy had been so excited about turning sixteen. Dick had reinforced the idea that he'd get a car. He couldn't fathom that their father would instead give his brother a gun. Dick also now understood fully what his brother probably knew for a long time—their father only had room in his heart for his first born. Cassidy wasn't important. His father's complete indifference and callousness in not giving a gift that was even a fraction of what he'd gotten Dick upset him. Then Dick thought of the disturbing pictures he'd found in his brother's room, the websites his brother had been looking at. Fear suddenly filled him as a thought occurred to him. Maybe his brother owning a gun was not such a good idea. Dick had never felt so impotent in his life. Nor had he ever felt such concern for another human being. How did things in his life get so complicated? What was he going to do? More importantly, what was his brother _planning_ on doing?

***** _*Logan and Veronica*_ ******

Logan followed Veronica into her apartment.

"I'm going to take a quick shower and change. I won't be long," Veronica said.

Logan sat down and turned on the news. The news report was talking about the PCHers. Logan stayed on the channel to listen.

When Veronica came back into the living room, Logan was on the phone with Weevil. After he disconnected, he told her, "I think it's finally over this time. The D.A. has finally filed murder charges against Thumper," Logan announced.

"That's good news. However, if the police and D.A. were really smart, they would've held off and used Thumper to bust the Fitzpatricks," Veronica said, sitting down next to Logan. "You can use the small fish to catch the bigger ones. Worked a deal to get him to flip on them."

"I think someone in power in this city is protecting them. It's the only thing that makes sense," Logan said. "I listened to the entire segment, and the Fitzpatricks weren't mentioned at all."

Veronica looked disgusted. "Figures. When my dad gets back in office, he'll have to do it," she said.

"He'll run again?" Logan asked in surprise.

"Why shouldn't he? He's been vindicated. He was right. The Kanes were covering up Lilly's death. The only reason he suspected them to be involved in Lilly's death was because he knew they were lying about something, and he was right. He should've never been run out of office to begin with. Lamb's barely competent, so he'll probably run," Veronica informed him. "Especially with his book coming out. It gives him more positive publicity."

"I hope he does run and beats Lamb. I hate that guy! He enjoyed arresting me just a little too much," Logan announced.

"Yeah. He enjoys busting the teenagers. I've seen that look of glee on his face more than once. However, he also pretty much laughed in my face when I reported I was raped," Veronica said in disgust.

Logan's face darkened in anger. "The bastard!"

"Pretty much," she replied.

"If we figure out who did it, will you report it again?" Logan wondered.

Veronica thought about it a moment. "Well, I am not sure it'd do any good," she said.

"Even if you get proof?" Logan asked.

She shrugged. "The guy didn't drug me. Usually in these kinds of cases, the guy who did it also drugs the girl. Pretty much everyone, even you, thought I was just trashed. More than one person told me I was coming onto a guy or two. I'm not sure the police will think there's enough evidence for rape. Rape is hard to prove. It's often he said she said, especially without physical evidence," Veronica said.

"There'd be that if Lamb had believed you when you first reported it!" Logan exclaimed in anger.

"I know. But I can't think about that too much or I'll go nuts," she replied. "It's enough for me to know who did it and to use that knowledge to punish the guy however I can."

"You could always sue the family," Logan suggested. "It's sometimes easier to win in civil court than in criminal."

"True," she said. "I can't think about that now. I've got to focus on finding out who did it to me first." She leaned back on the couch, and he put his arms around her, pulling her close. They sat there in companionable silence for a few minutes.

Logan finally brought up the subject that was on his mind nearly every moment of every day. "Are we going to be okay?" he asked tentatively.

Veronica moved so that her eyes could connect with him. "Why do you ask?" she inquired.

"I know that you getting hurt wouldn't have happened at all if I hadn't turned the school loose on you. If it ends up being one of my friends who did this, will you still want to be with me?" Logan asked, giving her a searching look.

Veronica sat up all the way and pulled slightly away from him. She looked away a full minute, trying to formulate a reply. Finally, she looked back at him with somber eyes. "Lilly's death broke something inside of us both. Thanks to your father, you tend to lash out when you're hurt. I understand that, and I can forgive you as long as you don't start being reckless again. I think we've come a long way, and I want to trust you. I do trust you, but it scares me sometime how much you can hurt me," she admitted, her voice getting quieter as she spoke. When she stopped, she looked away. Then she turned back. "The drinking you do I think brings out some of your uglier traits."

Logan winced. He knew she was right. Drinking depressed him. When he got depressed, he either turned too introspective or he brooded on things that made him angry. Sometimes, he mbecame reckless. He reached for her hand. "I know. You're right. I don't have very many people in my life that care about me like you do. Even if you can't say the words, I know you care. That means a lot to me. I don't want to disappoint you again," he told her.

Veronica nodded. "We are all responsible for our choices, Logan. Yes, other people can influence us or damage us. But when it comes down to it, we control what we do and what we say. No one else. Owning up to what you have done says something about you. Regretting your actions and trying to make amends says something more. You may have set things in motion that night at the party, but you do _not_ carry the blame. Dick, regardless of whether he did it or not, carries more. He put GHB in Madison's drink. Her spitefulness caused her to give it to me. Maybe she only intended to humiliate me by spitting in it. But it doesn't absolve her guilt because she wanted to hurt me. I know she started as many rumors about me as you did. You did it because you were hurt and angry. She did it out of malice and hate. It may not seem like much, but it does to me," Veronica said.

"Well, the rumors might've led people to think you were easy. Since the person who raped you didn't drug you, they might've thought you really wouldn't have minded. I tarnished the way people viewed you, Veronica, and it makes me sick to think about," Logan said, turning away in disgust. It didn't matter what she said, ultimately _he_ was responsible.

Veronica knew he was tormented but so was she. Neither of them would find peace until they found out who was responsible. They wouldn't be able to completely move on and let it go. "Logan, if I didn't know who you were before Lilly died, if we had no history, if we hadn't both loved Lilly, maybe I wouldn't be able to get past your part in it. But I do know you. More now than ever before. Maybe I should blame you. But I can't seem to, and I don't know why you want me to."

"I don't!" he insisted.

"Then quit with the self-recriminations. Quit hating yourself," she said. She lifted her hand to his cheek. "I don't like anyone hurting you, not even yourself. We won't be able to get past it until you forgive yourself."

Logan's tormented eyes searched hers and found only compassion and love. A part of her loved him. He could see it in her eyes. He didn't need the words. His forehead moved forward until it was touching hers. He grabbed her other hand until he held them both in his own. "It's you and me, Veronica. Always. I don't want to ever lose you," he said.

She smiled and moved her head slightly so that their lips could meet, expressing in her kiss all she was unable to say.

****** _Chapter End******_

_ I borrowed a form of Logan's line from Vampire Diaries. Elena said in an episode in season 2 "It's you and me, Stefan. Always." It was such a simple and sweet line that I knew I had to find a way to use it! (I am team Delena, though! ;)) _

_ I don't know anything about handguns, and mostly assumed Cassidy's gun from the season 2 finale was stolen from his dad's gun cabinet. However, maybe it was his own! We don't know, so I hope my spin still fits into your imaginings. Of course, the one in this chapter does not describe the one from the show. I don't know enough about guns to do that! _


	33. Party Encounters

****** _Friday Night at Casablancas*_ *****

Mac and Dick were setting things up for the party in silence. Mac was growing concerned. Dick was never quiet this long. She knew he was worried about what they may discover in Cassidy's laptop, but his silence was starting to freak her out. "Dick, are you okay? You're too quiet," Mac said.

"I just realized today what a complete ass my dad is," Dick said glumly as he put the cups next to the keg.

"What happened?" Mac asked.

"I thought Dad would get Beaver a car for his birthday. I had Beaver believing it, too," Dick said.

"He didn't?" Mac asked in surprise.

"No! The stupid ass-hat bought him a gun! Can you believe that? Told me it was our mother's turn to buy the car, and I shouldn't criticize 'cause the gun cost $2000!" Dick said bitterly.

"Well, that's surprising," a voice from behind them said. They turned and saw Cassidy come into the room. "I didn't realize guns cost so much."

Mac was dismayed. If their suspicions about Cassidy were at all correct, a gun was the last thing he needed. "We should go pawn it and take a road trip," Mac suggested.

Dick brightened at the suggestion. "Vegas? We could go to Vegas!" Dick suggested.

"Even with fake ID's, I could never pass for twenty-one. You have to be twenty-one to get into the casinos," Cassidy said.

"There's other things there besides gambling," Mac said. "Or we could go down to L.A. Logan knows a bunch of stars."

"Crash some ubber-rich parties! Nice, Mackie!" Dick said in admiration.

The doorbell rang. "It's the pizzas I've ordered," Dick said as he went to answer it.

Mac went over Cassidy. She reached out and took his hand. "I'm sorry your dad is an ass," she said, surprising him.

He smiled. "I've never heard you say a bad word before," he observed.

"Only when it's appropriate. Our parents can be a real disappointment," Mac said.

"Beaver! Come out here!" Dick yelled.

Cassidy looked puzzled at the bellow but went toward Dick's voice. Curious, Mac followed.

They saw a tow truck and a metallic blue Mustang convertible. Dick was grinning. "Looks like one of our parents came through. The car is yours," Dick told his stunned brother.

The man driving the tow truck handed an envelope to Dick and some keys. Dick handed the envelope to his brother.

Cassidy opened the envelope. The card said, "I know the car won't replace my absence, but I wanted you to have a happy sixteenth. Love, Mom." Cassidy smiled. "It's from Mom," he said.

"Well, of course, dude. Who else?" Dick said with a grin. "What are you waiting for? Let's take this baby for a spin!"

Cassidy walked slowly toward the car as if he was afraid it'd disappear on him. The black leather interior gleamed. He couldn't help but be a bit awed by the gift and went to the driver's side. It was an amazing gift. For once, something good happened just like he imagined. He looked at Mac. "Are you coming?" he asked her.

She smiled. "How about you take me for a drive in the morning? I want to finish setting up and guests should start arriving soon," Mac said. She waved the boys off. Although she was glad for Cassidy, she couldn't help but be concerned about the other gift his dad got him. How could a parent be so reckless?

Two hours later the party was in full swing. The house wasn't packed, but there were a few dozen people there. Cassidy walked around in a good mood. For once, he didn't mind that most of the people here were more Dick's friends than his. Dick had managed to invite a few of his real friends, which made Cassidy happy. He was introducing Mac to two of them when he spotted some guests that he was NOT happy to see. "Who invited them?" he said to Mac.

Mac looked and saw a Latino and a taller skinny white guy. "I told Dick to invite some of your friends, so he got some of the guys off of one of your old Sharks photo," Mac said.

Cassidy walked over to Peter and Marco. They smiled. "Happy birthday, Cassidy," they each said.

Cassidy's stomach clenched anxiously. "Hey guys," he said. "I'm surprised to see you."

"Your brother actually bothered to call us," Marco said with a grin. "How could we resist a genuine invitation to an 09er party? I expect to get a lot of good material out of this party."

Cassidy couldn't help but smile. He and Peter were two of the few people that knew Marco was one of the voices behind the Pirate's radio show.

"Aren't you going to introduce me?" Mac asked.

Cassidy had forgot she had been following him. "Sorry. Guys this is Mac. Mac this is Peter and Marco. We were bat boys together," Cassidy said.

"We haven't seen you much lately, though," Peter said pointedly.

"I don't like thinking about those days," Cassidy said darkly.

"There were good times," Peter said.

Cassidy shrugged dismissively. There was a loud crash.

"I better go see what was broken," Mac said.

"You don't have to do that," Cassidy said.

"It's your birthday. I don't want you to worry about the details," Mac said walking off.

When she walked away, Peter asked, "Is she your girlfriend?" He seemed surprised.

"Sort of. We've been dating, but we haven't quite got to that point. She's really great, though," Cassidy said.

"Way to go, man!" Marco said with a grin.

Peter didn't join him in his enthusiasm. "I'm surprised. She's the first girl you've dated," Peter said.

"She's the first girl I wanted to date. She's awesome, and she likes me," Cassidy said a bit defensively.

"I know Mac. She's cool. She helps out whenever we encounter technical problems on the show," Marco said.

"I'm not surprised that you like her. I like her. We've had class together, so I know she's very smart. I'm just surprised you're dating her," Peter said pointedly.

Cassidy looked around to make sure no one was close enough to overhear. "Why would you be so surprised that I'm dating a girl?" he asked angrily. "I like girls. I'm _not_ gay!"

Peter and Marco exchanged looks but didn't comment further. Then Marco said, "You know Woody's becoming a bigwig within the city. My dad told me he's pushing to have the 09 zip code a separate city or something within Neptune. He'd then run for mayor."

"We can't let that happen!" Peter said upset. "We've got to let people know who he really is. What he did."

"No!" Cassidy shouted a bit louder than he meant to. "You don't have Dick Casablancas for a brother. Or the father I have. My life would be a nightmare if anyone found out! It's barely bearable now."

"It wasn't our fault, Cassidy. We were just kids," Marco said quietly. "He was supposed to be someone we could trust. He hurt us. How can you let him get away with it?"

"Who said I planned on letting him get away with it?" Cassidy said, a disturbing note to his voice.

"Happy birthday, Beaver!" a voice behind him said. Cassidy turned to see Logan Echolls.

Logan had been sent by his girlfriend to see where Cassidy was. She was going to check the bathrooms for medicine bottles. When Logan had spotted Beaver, he seemed to be having an intense conversation with two guys Logan had never seen before. Taking a cue from his P. I. girlfriend, Logan quietly and casually walked up behind them. He overheard enough to be very curious. Beaver's loud 'no' had drawn Logan. The guy's reply to whatever Beaver said made Logan wonder. Who had hurt them? One of the guys spotted him, so Logan knew he'd have to join the conversation without finding out. He kept the conversation short and went to find Veronica.

**** _Upstairs_ ****

Veronica was so disappointed. She had been so sure she'd find something in Dick's bathroom. She'd already checked the bathrooms downstairs. The place had like five or six bathrooms. Rich people were ridiculous. However, she couldn't help but envy the shower Dick's bathroom had. Three people could fit easily in it. The shower head was removable. Veronica doubted it ever ran out of hot water.

There was a knock on the door. "I'll be right out!" Veronica shouted.

"It's me," Logan said.

Veronica unlocked the door and let him in. "Is someone coming?" she asked.

"No. Dick's had enough parties that most people know to stay away from the top floor, especially his room," Logan said. "Did you find anything?"

"No," she said in disgust. "We're going to have to expand our search."

"Not now. We should wait until later. You've been up here ten minutes already. Someone might notice," Logan said.

Veronica doubted that. None of the 09ers here noticed anyone but themselves. "Doubtful," she said. "But let's go downstairs. I could use some pizza."

"I just heard a very weird conversation with Beaver and two of his friends," Logan said as they walked out of the bathroom and into Dick's bedroom.

Veronica stopped and looked at Logan. "What?" she asked.

"Beaver was upset when one of the guys said they had been kids when some guy hurt them. Beaver's friend wanted to tell someone," Logan shared. "Beaver got really upset and said his life would become a nightmare if Dick or his dad found out. Then his friend said they shouldn't let him get away with it. Then Beaver said he didn't plan on letting him."

Veronica was intrigued. "What is he going to do? How were they hurt?" she asked.

"I don't know. One of the noticed me, and I didn't want them to realize I overheard anything," Logan said.

Veronica smiled. "You're learning," she said proudly.

"I keep telling you that I'm more than a pretty face," Logan said with a grin.

Veronica lifted a hand and caressed his face. "But it's so pretty that I forget sometimes," she said with a cheeky grin.

Logan couldn't resist and bent down to kiss her. Her arms automatically went around his neck as the kiss got heated. He eyed the distance to Dick's bed and pushed her back until her legs hit it. He broke off the kiss breathing heavily. "We're alone," he said with a wolfish grin.

Veronica looked at the closed bedroom door. "We are," she said coyly. She sat down on the bed. Logan didn't need a verbal invitation and quickly covered her body with his own. It'd been too long since she'd wanted to seriously make out with him. His body was tight with barely suppressed lust for his pixie girlfriend. He didn't waste any time in pushing up her bra and sucking on her breast, causing her to moan loudly. She had been thoughtful enough to wear a skirt to the party, so Logan used one hand to push it up as his other hand fondled one of her breasts. She tugged on his hair. "Kiss me!" she demanded.

He moved and put his mouth over hers. His clever fingers moved to press inside of her, causing her to gasp his name. He began moving down her body.

Dick made a point to check on his room once an hour. Even though he had told his friends more than once that upstairs was off limits, someone always ignored him. He heard noise coming from his room and marched determinedly toward it. He paused outside his door, and a loud moan could be heard. His eyes darkened in annoyance. Some couple was using his room to make-out in. Then a thought occurred to him, and he opened up the door. "You better not be having sex on my bed!" he exclaimed as he burst in.

His mouth fell open in shock as he saw the bare breasts of Veronica Mars and Logan between her legs obviously about to go down on her. Veronica's eyes opened in horror as she quickly came to awareness and pulled down her shirt. In less than a minute, she'd jumped off the bed and ran to the bathroom, slamming the door. "Dude!" Dick said to Logan.

Logan grabbed a pillow and put it on his lap, trying to get his body under control. "You could've knocked!" Logan said in disgust.

"Dude, it's _my_ room!" Dick reminded him. "You know I don't like people in my room."

"I'm not people. I'm here more than I am at my own house," Logan replied.

"Maybe so. But that doesn't mean it's cool to have sex on my bed!" Dick complained. Then he grinned. "I saw Ronnie's breast!"

"I can hear you, Dick!" Veronica shouted from the bathroom. She was about to die from mortification, but she knew better than to let Dick know. He only responded to strength. 'Never let them see you sweat' was her motto. Taking a deep breath, she opened the door. She went straight to her bag and pulled out her taser, and Dick's eyes widened in alarm. "I swear to God, Dick, if you tell a single soul what you walked in on, I will make you cry!" She turned on the taser to emphasize her point. Dick took a step back and held up his hands.

Logan got up from the bed and grabbed her from behind and pulled her back. "Okay, wildcat. Calm down. Dick won't say anything to anyone. He knows I'd kill him," Logan said pointedly. He took her hand. "Let's go down and get a drink. I am in sore need of a strong drink." Both of them gave Dick warning glares before marching out of his room.

Dick frowned after them. How was he the bad guy when they were having sex on his bed? Then the picture of Veronica's naked breasts flashed in his mind. He grinned. Veronica Mars let Logan go down on her. Dick knew she'd be hot! He laughed as he left his room and went downstairs. He may not get to tell anyone what he saw, but he knew just knowing and seeing what he did would drive Veronica nuts!

***** _Downstairs*_ *****

"Why are we here again?" Hector asked Weevil.

"I told you. One of these douche bag 09ers hurt Veronica. Something might go down tonight. These guys are all Logan's friends, so I don't know how he'll react," Weevil admitted.

"She's his girlfriend. I'm sure he'll go ape-shit on them," Hector said as they entered the house. Music was coming from the nearby room. "What exactly was done to her?"

"I can't tell you that. It doesn't matter what was done but that something was done," Weevil said. He scanned the room looking for Mac.

"Who are you looking for, man?" Hector asked.

Weevil didn't answer. He spotted Mac coming from the kitchen area and moved toward her as three 09er girls surrounded her.

Mac sighed in resignation as she listened to Madison and Shelly put her down for the hundredth time in her life.

"I can't believe Dick. What was he thinking to invite you? He must be really desperate these days," Madison said scornfully.

"I am friends with Cassidy," Mac replied. "I don't believe you were invited, though."

Madison laughed dismissively. "I know this house better than anyone. I'm practically family, and I don't need an invitation!"

"I can't believe Logan's still dating her!" Shelly said as she spotted Veronica and Logan coming down the stairs.

"Why are you surprised? This freak is here, so, of course, Veronica Mars would be here," Madison said sourly.

Mac said nothing. She just stood there waiting for them to finish. Weevil and Hector were a few feet away hearing everything. Weevil's fist clenched angrily and took a step forward. Hector grabbed his arm. "Don't interfere in mean-girl drama. I have two sisters. They won't thank you," Hector said. "I'm going to go get a drink." He walked off.

Weevil couldn't help but admire Mac as she stood there so stoic and brave as the girls put her down and laughed at her. They walked away, and Mac just stood there. Her loneliness struck him, and he moved toward her. "Hey," he said.

Mac looked up. "Hi," she said and gave him a shy smile.

"Don't let those bitches upset you," Weevil said sourly.

"I'm not. Well, not really. It's happened before. It'll happen again," she said tiredly. She turned and walked back toward the kitchen, needing a minute away from the party scene. Weevil followed her.

She sat down at the kitchen table. "Dick told me she wouldn't be coming. That she was out of town," Mac remarked as Weevil sat down next to her.

"He was obviously wrong," Weevil said.

"He didn't invite her, but I guess she feels like she doesn't need an invitation," Mac replied.

"Girls like her never do," Weevil said.

Mac sat in silence a moment. The desire to unburden herself strong within her. "Can I tell you something? Something I've never told a single soul," she said.

"Of course. I'm good at keeping secrets," Weevil said with a smile.

"I was switched at birth," Mac announced.

Weevil's eyes widened in surprise. "What?"

"Last year, I had Veronica find out if I was adopted. I just knew that I didn't fit with the rest of my family. She found out I was switched at birth. My parents found out when I was two or three," Mac shared.

"Wow!" Weevil said, not knowing what to say.

"I guess they didn't want to switch back. The hospital gave them some money, which my parents naturally lost in a bad investment," Mac said.

"So you know who your real parents are?" Weevil asked. He reached over and grabbed her hand in comfort.

Mac nodded. "You can't say anything to anyone," she said.

He put his arm around her shoulder. "I won't. I promise," he said.

She looked at him with those big blue eyes of hers. "My real parents are Madison Sinclair's parents," she admitted.

Weevil was more than a bit stunned since her announcement was unexpected. Then he started laughing—he couldn't help it. The irony was too much for him.

Mac looked a bit hurt and pulled away. "I don't see how it's funny," she said crossly.

"I'm sorry. I'm not making fun. It's just so perfect," Weevil said. "Here the skank thinks she's superior to you. That she's so great because of who her family is. And in reality, you're the one who is the true Sinclair. It's like you have this big joke on her, and she doesn't even know it!"

Mac's mouth opened in surprise. She had never thought of it that way. In spite of herself, she smiled. "I can't believe you. I tell you my darkest secret, and you laugh!"

"Think about it, Cindy. You have this power over her, and she doesn't even know it. With a few words, you could destroy her world and everything she's so proud of," Weevil said gleefully.

Mac had never thought of it that way before. "You're right. I could," she said. Then she smiled, flashing her dimples. "I do have the power!"

"Damn right! Knowing it and knowing you could destroy her is what you should think about the next time she corners you like that," Weevil said with a grin.

Mac laughed. A weight lifted from her, and she felt free. "I will. Thanks," she said. She leaned forward and did something she'd never done before. She made the first move and gave him a soft kiss.

Weevil wanted to take it further, but he refrained. It wasn't the right time.

From the doorway, Cassidy watched in disbelief. Mac, a girl he thought he could actually really love, had something going on with Weevil. He couldn't believe it. He was a fool. They must be laughing at him behind back. He was just a joke. A f**** joke. Feeling in need of a drink, he headed to the keg his brother supplied.

***** _TO BE CONTINUED*****_


	34. Investigating

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Thanks to a reader for always keeping me on my toes. Logan and Veronica were interrupted before they could irresponsibly have oral sex. I made a point of clarifying in this chapter.
> 
> Some readers have been suspicious of the car from Cassidy's mom. Honestly, it is what it seems. I felt sorry for Cassidy and decided from the one glimpse we got of their mom that she'd be the kind to buy overly pricey gifts to replace her presence in her son's life. Cassidy, in particular, seemed upset that she didn't want him to stay with her after dad was arrested, so I figure she must have been somewhat caring toward him at some point in his life. I don't have quite the devious mind that some readers do! 😉

****** _Mostly Same Time, Definitely Same Place*_ *****

Veronica grabbed a can of Diet Coke from the ice chest Mac and Dick had put on tables outside by the pool. She thought it might take a dunk in the pool to cool her flaming face. She couldn't believe Dick Casablancas had managed to see her half naked. She glared at Logan, who was nearby talking to Duncan and Meg. Logan caught her glare and walked over.

"Are you still mad?" he asked, trying to look contrite.

"What do you think?" she asked. "Dick saw me practically naked! And what were you thinking? I still have another week on my antibiotics. We can't have any type of sexually contact. Or you'll have the same little problem I have. In fact, you should probably get a prescription just to be safe."

Logan's eyes widened in surprise. "Oops! I didn't even think of that! I guess we owe Dick a thank-you," he said sheepishly.

"Like I'm going to thank him! You have more experience than me, so I usually count on you to put on the brakes," she said sourly. "Not to mention _lock the door_!"

Logan couldn't hold back the grin that was threatening. He wrapped his arms around her and whispered in her ear, "Maybe you shouldn't be so irresistibly hot! I lose my mind when I'm with you."

He kissed her to emphasize his point.

"Okay, that's enough! You know my eyes can't take it!" Wallace exclaimed.

Veronica pulled away from Logan and looked over his shoulder. She smiled at her best friend who had finally joined them. "Logan can't help it. I'm irresistible!" she said arrogantly. She noticed the girl he was holding hands with. "Hi, Hannah. Glad you could make it."

"Hi," Hannah said. She gave them a shy smile.

"Did you see that smokin' hot new Mustang outside?" Wallace asked.

"Yes, it's Cassidy's," Logan said. "From his mother."

"Must be nice," Wallace said. Veronica rolled her eyes in complete understanding. Sometimes, it was hard to deny the obvious advantages to being so wealthy.

"Is Weevil here?" Logan asked.

"I don't know. We just got here," Wallace answered. "How's things going at the Navarros'?"

Logan shrugged. "Fine. Lettie fusses, but I've known her for years. She often cooked at my house but living with her and getting meals from her all the time is a real treat," Logan supplied.

"It must be tough without your family," Hannah said sympathetically.

"Not so much. They weren't around all that often anyway. They'd be gone on location for weeks at a time, or Mom would be at our L.A. house," Logan said.

"Yeah, but you had a lot of privacy at your own place," Wallace said. "Now you are in a much smaller house with Weevil and his little brothers."

"Logan's having to learn how to share," Veronica said with a teasing grin.

Meg approached and greeted Hannah. The two of them started chatting, which allowed Veronica to focus her attention on her best friend. "So you and Hannah, huh?" Veronica said with a grin.

"Is it serious?" Logan asked.

"I like her. She's sweet and funny. Most importantly, she digs me!" Wallace said.

"Get them young and dumb, I always say," Logan said, grinning.

"Oh, you do, do you?" Veronica said with an arch her eyebrow.

"She's still trainable. You—you're stubborn and set in your ways!" Logan told her.

"Yeah, you have it so rough," she said dryly. Wallace snickered at their by-play.

"Yo! Wallace!" Dick shouted from a few feet away. He grinned and walked toward them. Dick noticed Hannah.

"You brought a hot babe. Nice!" Dick said admiringly. They exchanged high-fives. Dick eyed Veronica knowingly. "Ronnie. Looking particularly smokin' tonight!"

Veronica's face flushed like only a true blonde would, and then she glared. She stomped away without a word.

Dick laughed in pleasure. "What was that about?" Wallace asked.

Before Dick could reply, Logan warned, "Not a word, Dick." Dick quickly shut his mouth.

"It must be good," Wallace said. Dick nodded, a huge grin splitting his face. He was dying to tell someone, but he knew he'd regret it. For once, he held his tongue.

"I see Weevil. I'll catch up with you guys later," Logan said. He walked over to where Weevil was located.

Weevil was hanging out with Hector by the patio doors. He nodded at Logan, who grinned. "I see you gave in and came to another 09er party," Logan said.

"Mac invited me," Weevil said, trying to sound casual.

"And, of course, you couldn't say no to Mac," Logan teased.

"Mac? Who's Mac?" Hector asked.

The girl in question was working the room inside. She looked stressed as she came outside, so Logan waved at her. She smiled and walked toward them. "Logan, your friends are pigs," she said in annoyance.

"I know. Don't stress. It's not your mess," Logan said. "Dick always has a cleaning crew come early the morning after his parties anyway."

"I feel like it's my mess since Dick and I are the ones throwing it," Mac said. However, knowing that a cleaning crew would be cleaning up helped her relax. Naturally, Dick didn't think to mention that little detail.

"Mac, this is my friend Hector," Weevil introduced.

Hector smiled and said hello.

"Glad you could make it. This party definitely needed some more non-09ers," Mac said smiling.

Hector couldn't help but notice the way Weevil looked at the girl. It was obvious that Weevil liked her. She gave Weevil a shy smile; it seemed she returned Weevil's regard.

Logan caught Weevil's eye and moved his head slightly to let Weevil know he needed to talk to him. Weevil took a step to the side. "I know this isn't your scene, but do you think you can hang out a while longer? Veronica's determined to play P. I," Logan said.

"Did she find out anything yet?" Weevil asked.

Logan shook his head. "She's scoped out the bathrooms. No medicine bottles. I made a point of inviting Sean, so I expect her to corner him before the night's over," Logan remarked.

"Where is she at? I haven't seen her since I got here," Weevil said looking around.

Logan realized she'd slipped away. "I don't know. She stomped away from Dick a few minutes ago. I better go find her," Logan said.

"Good luck. I'm here if you need me," Weevil said. He looked over at Mac, and she was still talking to Hector. He knew Hector would be surprised. Weevil had noticed that Mac did pretty well one-on-one, but large groups weren't really her thing. He liked her more and more. Finding out she was meant to have Madison Sinclair's life had surprised him. But it made him admire her all the more. If it'd been him, he'd have gone for the jugular and demanded what was due him. The Sinclairs had a lot of money. Madison made a point to put Mac down whenever she could. It took a lot of self-control to not strike back. He couldn’t help but see she was something special. Weevil didn't think he'd ever met a girl quite like Cindy Mackenzie. He knew that he was just scratching the surface of her. Finding out who she was a layer at a time was going to be a pleasure.

****** _Upstairs*_ ******

Veronica had finished going through Dick Sr.'s bathroom. She didn't expect to find anything, but she wanted to look through them all just in case. Some parents kept unused medicines. She walked out in the hall trying to decide on her next move. It was time to check the bedrooms, so she went to Dick's room and began searching.

Logan discovered her on her knees looking through a box under Dick's bed. Logan knew that was where Dick hid his porn collection. "I wouldn't do that if I were you," Logan said as Veronica started to ramble through the box. He stepped into the room, shutting Dick's bedroom door behind him.

She looked up quickly. "I'm looking for clues," she said. She saw the magazine and cringed.

"I told you not to look. The only thing in that box is Dick's porn selection," Logan said. "You really need to stop."

Veronica got to her feet. "I'm going to find out if Dick was the one who touched me," Veronica said grimly.

"You're wasting your time. It wasn't Dick. He couldn't keep a secret this long if it had been him," Logan said. Logan refused to believe that Dick was the guilty party.

"Well, if that's the case, you won't mind helping me search his room," Veronica said pointedly.

"I don't know. I don't feel right about this," Logan said, uncomfortable.

"Think of it this way: if you help me, you can exonerate you pal," Veronica said.

Logan grudgingly conceded. He knew that if he helped her, he'd get her out of Dick's room sooner. While Veronica was searching Dick's closet, Logan started with the dressers. He browsed through the nightstand by his bed. Finding nothing of interest, he walked to Dick's dresser and began looking under clothes. He found a picture and some folded papers. He looked at the folded papers, his eyes widening in disbelief. "Uh, Veronica, I found something," Logan said.

**** _*Downstairs_ *****

Dick noticed Mac talking to Weevil and another gangbanger. The girl really had no standards. However, Dick didn't have the energy or time to address that. "Mac!" he bellowed, waving her over. She rolled her eyes but walked toward him.

"Must you always bellow? It's kind of rude," Mac said in distaste.

Dick rolled his eyes. "Why don't you go upstairs to Beav's room and take a crack at his computer?" Dick asked.

"Where's he at?" Mac asked. She didn't see him outside by the pool.

They went inside and found him guzzling down a beer. "He's drinking. I wish you hadn't brought so much booze, Dick," Mac admonished.

"It's a party, Mac. There has to be booze!" Dick insisted. "At least we know he's downstairs. Go on upstairs."

"What if he suddenly decides to go upstairs?" Mac asked.

"We need to distract him," Dick said.

"Didn't you buy him a new video game for his birthday? Why don't you play a game with him? Then we'll know for sure where he's at. I'll get Weevil to join you. Make him play the winner or something," Mac said.

"What if I win?" Dick asked.

Mac laughed. "Do you ever?" she asked. She went over to Weevil and Hector. Both guys were happy to have something to do since they didn't really know many people at the party.

Cassidy was brooding in a corner, and he took another drink of his beer. Mac was talking to his brother. She was practically ignoring him. Now she was talking to Weevil. His eyes narrowed. How could she be interested in a guy like that? Mac walked away from the guys, and Dick headed toward Cassidy.

"Dude, let's play the new game I bought you. Weevil and his sidekick wanna play, too," Dick said.

Cassidy liked the idea of beating Mac's secret boyfriend. He knew he couldn't physically beat him, so this would be at least satisfying. "Since it's my birthday, I should get to pick who I play first. I wanna play Weevil. He could use some humbling," Cassidy said determinedly.

"Fine," Dick said. That worked even better. He could easily slip away and follow Mac. Dick spent a few minutes setting up the game. Hector would play the winner, and then Dick would play last.

****** _*Upstairs*_ ******

Mac had a program that she used to crack passwords. It didn't take her long to get into Cassidy's laptop. She had kept his bedroom door open, so she could keep watch. Guilt plagued her. This didn't sit right with her. Mac was a very private person, and she'd die if someone violated her privacy the way she was violating his. However, she cared about Cassidy. She wanted to help him and knew Dick was right. Although she was hesitating, she knew this was the best way.

She was about to begin searching the computer when Dick poked his head through the door.

"Are you in?" he asked.

"Yes, I'm about to start scrolling through his files," Mac said.

They heard voices, but the sound wasn't coming from the hallway.

"What the hell?" Dick said. "Someone's in my room!" He went through the bathroom that connected his and Cassidy's room. Mac shut the laptop and followed him.

"What do guys think you're doing?" Dick demanded as he saw Logan and Veronica standing over his open dresser. It was obvious that they had found what Dick had hidden in it.

Veronica glanced up from the papers she and Logan had been looking at. "Well, I was looking for evidence that you raped me. Instead, it looks like you're planning to blow up the school. What the hell, Dick? Not even I knew you had it in you," Veronica said in disgust.

"What?" Dick asked in disbelief. "That's not mine!"

"Yeah, like I'd believe anything you'd have to say," Veronica said.

"He's telling the truth," Mac said.

Both Veronica and Logan looked at her in surprise. "And how would you know this?" Veronica asked.

Mac walked over and took the papers and the photo from them. She looked at Dick. "We have to tell them, Dick," she said to him. He looked upset, but he didn't protest. "Dick found this photo of Cassidy's in his room. It freaked him out."

"It's like a serial killer photo or something. The coach's face is run over and over with a pen, blotting out his face. Beaver obviously hated the guy," Dick said. For some reason, the photo disturbed Dick more than the drawings.

"Then Dick grew concerned and was poking around his room and found this notebook that he photocopied," Mac said. "It's not Dick's. It's Cassidy's. Woody was his coach when he was bat boy for the Sharks."

"Woody? Why is that name familiar?" Veronica asked thoughtfully.

"Woody Goodman," Logan supplied. "He's the town selectman or mayor. He was a pro baseball player before a coach."

"Oh, right. My dad would be so ashamed that I didn't remember his name," Veronica remarked with a grimace.

"We have a mayor?" Dick asked.

"He's the closest thing to it," Logan said.

"So why does Cassidy want to hurt him?" Veronica wondered.

"That's what we're trying to figure out," Dick answered. "Mac is trying to look through his laptop."

Veronica and Logan were surprised. "She is?" Veronica asked. "Okay, so what did you find out?"

"Nothing. I was just starting to look when Dick heard you guys," Mac said.

Dick suddenly remembered why he heard them. "What do you mean you were looking for clues that I raped you?" he demanded. He turned to Logan. "And you were helping her? What the f***? So much for friendship!"

"No, I wasn't helping her. I know you didn't touch her," Logan assured him. "I was going to prove your innocence."

"Gee, thanks! You're a f***ing hero," Dick said sarcastically.

"Don't go attacking, Logan!" Veronica said hotly. "You were the one who left me in a room, knowing I was so bombed out of my mind that I could barely walk. I was told by Casey that I was coming on to even you. You could've called my dad. But instead, you threw your brother at me and told him to be a man. Sean told me that you threw condoms at him. Told him to suit up."

"You're always looking for someone to blame! It was Duncan who found you in that room, remember?" Dick said. "My brother wasn't in there with you very long at all. Nor did I throw condoms at him. That was Sean!"

"Guys, let's focus," Logan said. "We don't know how long Beaver will be downstairs."

"He's playing videos with Weevil and Hector," Mac told them.

"Well, we still need to stick with one thing at a time," Logan said. "Because I overheard a very odd conversation with your brother and two other guys. Peter and Marco."

"Those were the bat boys Dick invited," Mac said.

"They were discussing someone who hurt them. Someone who they thought they could trust," Logan shared.

"Must be the coach. Woody," Veronica said considering.

"Beaver also said that his life would be a nightmare if his dad or you found out," Logan told Dick.

Dick looked more confused.

"Go get the laptop," Veronica told Mac. Then she turned to Logan. "Go downstairs and see where Cassidy's at."

Mac and Logan both left to do her bidding. It left her alone with Dick.

Dick was feeling a lot of things, and Veronica was at the center of it. This was her fault, and his rush of anger needed an outlet. "You know, Ronnie, you're really something. You and Duncan break up and no one's talking. Not even Lilly. Girls always blab whenever they're the grieved party, so I always figured you must've done something to really hurt Duncan 'cause he wasn't saying a word. Then when Lilly dies and your dad tries to form a lynch party blaming it on the Kanes, and you actually support him, I figured it was no real surprise. Lilly was the only one of us you ever liked. Now it was clear to everyone. Then you crash a party you damn well knew you weren't invited to and act all aggrieved that you weren't well received," Dick said mockingly. "You got trashed. You claim you were drugged. Where's the actual proof of that? You had sex with Duncan. Maybe you came on to someone else. Maybe you feel bad about it. Who the f*** knows? Who the f*** cares?"

Mac had started to enter the room when Dick began his rant. Now she knew she needed to break this up before things got really bad. "I care, Dick. So knock it off," Mac ordered calmly.

Her quiet calm served to pull him back. Dick wasn't normally angry. In fact, things usually rolled off his back like water. However, his worry about his brother, realizing what an ass his dad was, Logan and Veronica's accusations all came together like a boiling cauldron. He felt like he was going to explode.

Logan came back into the room sensing the tension but figuring it was about Cassidy. "He's still playing the game," Logan said.

Mac sat down at Dick's desk and opened back the computer and went to work.

****** _More to Come*****_


	35. Revelations

***** _*Where We Left Off_ ******

Mac clicked on a folder labeled "possibilities". She frowned in confusion. It was dates of events the school was sponsoring.

"What are you looking at?" Veronica asked.

"He's got a listing of the various calendar events planned for the upcoming school year at the high school," Mac said.

Veronica glanced down at the drawings contemplating possibilities. Then she realized something. "It's possible targets," Veronica announced.

"What? No way!" Dick protested.

"Think about it. He's looking for a possible avenue to hurt some people," Veronica said. She looked through the drawings. "P and M. He wants to hurt them."

Logan said, "Oh my God! I just realized something. What if the P and M stands for Beaver's two friends Peter and Marco?"

"They were bat boys with him," Veronica said slowly, thinking.

"They're his friends. Why'd he want to hurt them?" Dick asked.

Mac didn't offer any theories but kept clicking through things on the laptop.

"Logan said they wanted to tell what Woody did to them, but your brother didn't," Veronica said. "Maybe this wasn't the first time they've had this disagreement."

Mac opened up a folder that had schematics for something. "I found something," she told them. They crowded around the screen. "I'm not sure what it is."

"It looks like plans to create an explosive of some kind," Logan said.

Dick took a step back. This couldn't be happening. He didn't know what to do. How could his brother be this messed up and he not even realize?

"Did you find a journal?" Dick asked suddenly.

Mac clicked on another icon labeled _Cassidy's Caterwaulings_. "I think I found it," she announced.

"The latest entry was dated at the beginning of the summer," Mac said.

"Read it to us," Veronica said.

Mac read: " _Peter sent me another email. He and Marco think we should tell someone. We can't be the only ones. But I can't let that happen. I got to stop them. Somehow. They don't understand. No one can ever know how tainted I am. How I was used like a woman would've been. I didn't even fight him. I've got to make sure they don't tell. I'll make him pay myself. I'll destroy his life. I'll hurt him like he hurt me."_ Mac stopped and looked up. "This is awful. This coach must've been sexually abusing the boys!" she exclaimed. She looked and clicked back another page and read another entry. It pained her to read. Glancing up, she said, "Here's one right before this one:"

" _Dad took Dick camping. I wasn't invited. He told me girls didn't like camping and hunting, and since I was more of a daughter than a son, I could stay home and clean my room. Dick laughed like it was a big joke. He always act like he doesn't like me at all when Dad's around. Sometimes, I hate him, too."_

Mac's voice trailed off as she read the last sentence. She glanced up at Dick who looked stricken at the words.

"Look for the date of Shelly's party the December before last. See if there's an entry," Veronica ordered. She gave Mac the date.

Mac scrolled through the journal, stopping when she found an entry close to the date. She didn't want to read this to them. When she agreed to help find out what was going on with Cassidy, she hadn't considered she'd find something like this. She hadn't had a clue that he'd been through something so awful. Nor did she know how much it'd end up hurting Veronica.

Veronica must have sensed her hesitation. "Read it," she ordered.

" _Well, I hope Dick's happy. He wanted me to be a man. I'm not really sure how having sex with a girl who barely knows where she's at makes me a man. But isn't that what men do? Force their will on those weaker, those unable to fight back. It's funny. Dick actually thought I was a virgin. I guess by most definitions I was. She was the first girl I'd been with. What would Dick think if he knew I'd lost my virginity a few years ago? My innocence, my life was over before it could begin. I'm sure he and Dad would just blame me like always. I was too weak. I let it happen. I wanted it to happen. If I was a real man, if I wasn't feminine in some way, he wouldn't have noticed me. He wouldn't have wanted me that way. It's my fault. I kept going back. I was pathetic enough to want someone to be nice to me. To say I was worth something. To want me around. How pathetic is that?"_

Mac's voice broke as she read the last sentence. Tears filled her eyes. She looked up at Dick whose eyes were frozen in horror and disbelief. "What did Woody do to him, Dick?" she asked.

"Him? What about me?" Veronica asked, sickened by the new knowledge. She really never thought it had been Cassidy. "He raped me! He knew it was rape. He even admits to forcing his will on me!"

Dick's eyes flashed angrily. "Shut your damn mouth! It's not rape when the girl is coming on to everyone at the party, letting guys drink shots off of her! Beaver didn't drug you! He didn't know," Dick defended, trying desperately to salvage his brother in some way.

"Yes, he did. He was hurting, Dick. He knew what he did was wrong though. He equates it to what was done to him," Logan pointed out. He felt sick. He knew he should be angry. He loved Veronica; Beaver hurt her. But God! Beaver was so damaged. How was Logan supposed to hate him?

"He's sick! He needs help! This isn't his fault!" Dick protested hotly.

"Maybe he is. Maybe he saw no other way," Veronica said angrily. " _You_ left him there with me. You and your father obviously treated him the way you and your 09er friends treated me. Of course, he's going to do what you say! You told him to prove he was a man!" She got up in his face. "Is that what you think a _real_ man is, Dick? Someone who abuses and hurts the defenseless?"

"No!" Dick protested.

"It's clear that's how you and your Dad treat Cassidy. You helped twist him. You told him to rape me! This is _your_ fault as much as it is Cassidy's!" Veronica insisted. Although she didn't believe anything excused what Cassidy did to her, it wouldn't have happened if it wasn't for Dick. "You're his older brother, Dick. He looks up to you. Of course, he's going to do what you tell him!"

Cassidy stood in the open doorway, the loud voices had drew him in. "What's going on?" he asked. He looked at them all curiously. Then he realized Mac was on his laptop. He stepped into the room. "What are you doing?" he asked her. "Why are you on my computer?" Then he really looked at her and noticed her upset. "Why are you crying?"

Mac wiped her cheeks. What could she say? How could she tell him? Her heart hurt to think about what must've happened to him. He was a victim like Veronica, but he was also the villain. She felt more tears well up. "I'm crying for you, Cassidy. And Veronica. I'm so sorry," she said softly. She turned the computer, so he could see that they found his journal. They knew.

Cassidy's mouth opened in shock. He looked around the room. Veronica's angry, accusing eyes bore into his. Logan's held some compassion. Cassidy didn't know that he alone knew what it felt like to have the man you looked up to hurt you. Logan knew what it was like to feel powerless, to feel trapped.

Then Cassidy faced his brother. Dick looked more upset than he'd ever seen him look. "Dude, what the hell's going on with you?" he asked Cassidy.

This was Cassidy's worse nightmare. They knew, so he couldn't lie or even deflect. He was trapped by his own words. He looked at his computer and then up at Mac. Loathing and bitterness toward her sprung up inside of him. This was her fault. She used her too clever brain to find out his darkest secrets. "How could you?" he accused. Before she could respond, he turned and ran out of the room.

Going down the hall, he knocked into Weevil, who had left Hector playing Duncan on the video game. Weevil hadn't seen Veronica or Logan in a while and had grown concerned, especially when he realized Dick and Mac were MIA also. Dick's little brother came charging out of a room, almost knocking him down. Veronica and Logan were right behind him.

"What's going on?" Weevil asked them.

"It was him, Weevil," Veronica said. "Cassidy raped me!" She and Logan moved past him.

Weevil glared at Dick, who came out of the room. Dick didn't pay him any attention but trailed after his brother. Mac came out of the room. Her tear-stained face drew his attention. "You're crying for him? He raped V!" Weevil said angrily.

"You don't understand, Weevil. He was hurt. Someone's been sexually abusing him. This whole thing is so much worse than you can imagine," Mac shared, distraught.

Weevil blanched. He didn't know what to do with that information.

"Come on. We've got to make sure that no one else gets hurt further," Mac said as she quickly walked after them.

***** _Downstairs*_ ****

Veronica and Logan looked throughout the main room, searching for Cassidy. "Where did he go?" she asked.

Logan went to the window to see if Cassidy's car was still outside. "His car's still here, so he's still in the house somewhere," Logan said.

"He's probably where the party isn't," Veronica said.

"I know," Dick said, and he turned. They all followed him as he stopped at his Dad's study. The door was locked. "Beaver! Are you in there?" Dick asked as he rattled the door.

"Don't come in, Dick!" Cassidy called out.

"Dude, let me in! I wanna help!" Dick yelled through the door.

Cassidy's bitter laugh could be heard. Then they heard glass breaking.

"What's he doing?" Veronica asked.

"Is he trying to go out the window?" Logan wondered.

"He could've just ran out the front door," Veronica reminded him.

"What's in there?" Mac asked Dick.

"My dad's study," Dick replied. "His desk and books." Then he thought of something and a look of panic and fear came over him. "My dad's gun cabinet."

"Oh God!" Mac said fearfully. She reached out and took Weevil's hand, needing comfort.

"Open the damn door!" Dick yelled as he pounded frantically on it.

Weevil squeezed Mac's hand in reassurance, and then he got out his pocket knife and went to work trying to wedge open the door.

"Is there a key?" Logan asked Dick.

Dick's mind raced. Then he remembered. He reached up and ran his hand over the top of the frame, finding the key his mom put there years ago. He put it in the door and opened it.

"I said don't come in!" Cassidy screamed.

They all looked as he pointed a gun at them.

**** _*TO BE CONTINUED_ *****

_I cried when I wrote this one. I know Cassidy was wrong in his actions, but he was 14 and so damaged. Abuse begets abuse. So many victims of sexual abuse never tell anyone. The perpetrators go unpunished, and the children grow up to be pretty messed up. The girls often end up promiscuous, and the men become abusers. However, I will never deviate from the fact that Cassidy was wrong. I just think Dick carries a lot of the responsibility, too, as do the owners of the house who let all those kids be unsupervised. This may be fiction, but this kind of thing does happen in this country. Thinking about that breaks my heart!_


	36. The Showdown

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> This is a sensitive subject I'm dealing with in this chapter and the previous one. I hope my direction doesn't hurt anyone that may have been the victim of a sexual crime. I also don't understand how viewers of VM can think Veronica would be a compassionate and understanding person about Cassidy's suffering. I think she wouldn't be unfeeling, but she's the victim. Do victims want to hear excuses on why the person who victimized them did it? No one else in her life can feel exactly how she feels about it. She expected the person to be a bad guy she could hate and punish, but as someone pointed out to me, Cassidy has already been punished and hates himself. She has to deal with the new reality. It won't be easy for her. I'll try stay true to the characters as I see them and hope you like how I handle this latest chapter.

Mac and Weevil were standing slightly behind Veronica, Logan, and Dick, who faced Cassidy as he pointed the gun at them. Veronica was quick to respond. She turned her back to Cassidy and threw her cell at Weevil. "Call my dad and clear the house!" she ordered.

Weevil nodded. He grabbed Mac's hand to pull her out of the room, but she resisted. "I can't. I've got to help him," she said.

"Shut the door!" Cassidy yelled.

Everything in Weevil rebelled at the thought of leaving either Mac or Veronica in the room with a messed-up kid waving a gun around. However, he knew someone had to get help. "Be careful," he whispered to Mac and stepped back and shut the door.

He quickly looked through the phone's contact list and found the one labeled "Dad" and pressed the call button.

"Hey, sweetie," Keith said, expecting to hear his daughter.

"Sheriff, this is Weevil. You need to get to the Casablancas house now. Veronica, Logan, Dick, and Mac are in the room with Dick's brother, who's off the rails. He's got a gun," Weevil told him without wasting time. "I'm not sure if he's going to hurt them or himself. The cops may scare him, so I'm calling you."

Keith sat up and removed his arm from around Alicia's shoulder. They had been watching a movie in her living room. "I'll be right there, Eli. Get as many of the kids out of the house as you can. Tell them the cops are coming. That usually causes them to scatter like roaches," Keith said. "Do not try to diffuse the situation yourself. I'll be there soon." He disconnected and put in another call as he got up from the couch.

"What's going on?" Alicia asked in concern.

Keith held up his finger to indicate that he needed a moment. "Leo, this is Keith Mars. Are you on duty? You are? Do you think you could get to the Casablancas house right away without drawing attention to yourself? No sirens. Don't tell Lamb. I don't want him crashing into a potentially volatile situation and making it worse. But I could use your help," Keith told him.

"Of course, Keith. I'm not far from the 09er neighborhood now," Leo replied.

"If you get there before me, park across the street and don't flash your lights. Wait for me," Keith ordered. Then he hung up and faced Alicia. "Eli called me from Veronica's phone. Veronica, Logan, Dick Casablancas, and Mac are in a room with Dick's brother, and he has a gun."

"Oh my God!" Alicia said in horror. "Wallace is at that party!"

"I know, but he's fine. He's probably with his date. Eli didn't say he was in the room with them, so don't worry. I'm going to head over there. Everything will be fine. Dick's brother has never been in trouble before. He's probably just showing off his dad's gun collection," Keith said, trying to keep her from panicking. "But call Wallace and tell him to leave the party and take Hannah home."

Alicia nodded and went to do just that.

Back at the house, Weevil put the phone in his pocket. Then he went to the source of the music and turned it off. Protests went out. "Everyone needs to leave unless you want to be picked up for underage drinking! The cops are on their way!" Weevil announced. Just as Keith predicted, they all started to leave.

However, Duncan, Meg, Hector, Wallace, and Hannah approached him. Duncan asked, "What's going on?" Wallace's phone rang, so he answered it.

"Dick's brother has a gun and was pointing it at us when Veronica threw her phone at me and told me to call her dad. I tried to get Mac out of the room, but she wouldn't leave. She wants to help that nutcase," Weevil said sourly.

"Why would Beaver be pointing a gun at them?" Duncan asked in confusion. Beaver had always been a fixture in his life ever since he'd been friends with Dick. Never had he pictured the quiet, intelligent brother as having such potential for violence.

Before Weevil could answer, Wallace said, "That was my mom. She's insisting I leave and take Hannah home."

"That's a good idea. The less people here the better," Weevil said.

"I don't want to leave if Veronica could be hurt," Wallace said, torn.

"Logan's in there with her. He won't let anything happen to her," Weevil assured him, silently hoping that was true.

"I'm scared," Hannah admitted.

Wallace put his arm around her and nodded. "Okay, we'll go. Please, call me and let me know she's okay as soon as you can," Wallace said.

"Keith will be here soon, and you know he'll make sure his daughter's safe," Weevil said.

Wallace felt better knowing that and reluctantly left, taking Hannah with me.

Madison Sinclair marched up to them. "Where's Dick? What's going on?" she asked suspiciously.

"None of your business. Leave," Weevil ordered.

Madison's nose wrinkled in distaste. "I don't take orders from trash. I'll stay if I want," Madison insisted.

Meg and Duncan stepped in and pulled her aside before Weevil could say anything further. Meg had been dealing with Madison all her life and knew how to reason with her.

"Is this why you wanted to be here?" Hector asked. "You knew something like this could happen?"

"Well, I didn't think there'd be a gun," Weevil admitted. He turned and looked at the door, hating that he was on this side of it. What if Mac or Veronica got shot?

***** _**Inside the Study*_ ******

"What are you doing? Are you going to shoot us?" Dick asked his eyes wide in fear.

Cassidy appeared startled at the suggestion and lowered the gun. "No, of course not!" he exclaimed. Then he raised the gun to his head. "I'm going to use it on myself."

"No!" Dick and Mac yelled.

"Beaver, put down the gun! Let's talk about this!" Dick ordered.

"My _name_ is Cassidy!" he screamed. "For once, call me by my name!"

"Okay, Cassidy. Talk to us," Dick begged.

"You are taking the easy way out, Cassidy," Veronica said, clenching her fists in anger and frustration. "You raped me!"

Cassidy flinched as her words hit him. He lowered the gun and looked at her with pain-filled eyes. "I'm sorry, Veronica. I didn't mean to hurt you. You are one of the few people that never put me down," he said regretfully.

"You're sorry? That makes it okay?" she said in disbelief. She had been hurt, but she didn't go around hurting innocent people. It wasn't right for him to use his pain to hide behind. It didn't make her suddenly okay with what he did to her.

"Shut up, Ronnie! Now's not the time for your third degree!" Dick said angrily. His brother wanted to kill himself and here she was trying to push him over the edge. Damn her!

"You don't even remember what happened, so I really didn't hurt you," Cassidy justified.

Veronica looked incredulous. "Are you kidding? Imagine waking up without your underwear but knowing someone violated you!" she exclaimed harshly, not even caring that he had a gun. Logan reached over and took her hand in his, knowing he couldn't do much to help but be there for her.

"He didn't know you were drugged!" Dick defended.

"It doesn't make it okay, Dick," Mac said softly.

Cassidy looked hurt at Mac's words. "Of course, you'd be on her side!" he accused bitterly. "I'm not anything to you. I don't matter."

"Of course, you matter," Mac countered, taking a step toward him.

Logan reached out and grabbed her arm and pulled her back. "Don't go any closer," Logan warned, eying the gun warily.

"I wouldn't hurt Mac," Cassidy insisted.

"You hurt me," Veronica said flatly.

"I had hoped you wouldn't even know anything," Cassidy admitted. He glared at Dick and pointed the gun at him, more to gesture than to aim. "Dick wouldn't let up! He's always putting me down. He and Dad never stop reminding me of how inferior I am. Dick told me before the party that since I was in high school now, I needed to be with a woman. He left me with you."

"I didn't think you'd actually do it! Not with her! Her dad was the Sheriff," Dick protested.

"You never shut up!" Cassidy screamed. "You and Dad always tell me what a girl I am. 'Man up!' you said." He used the gun to gesture and point to himself. "Well, I did. Does that make me a man, Dick? Are you proud?"

Dick didn't know what to say. He wanted to throw up. What had he done? "I'm sorry, Cassidy," he said sadly. "I just didn't realize. I didn't think."

"You never do, Dick," Cassidy said in disgust. He looked at Veronica, shame and regret filled his face. "You didn't deserve what I did. I know that. Just like I didn't deserve what was done to me. At least you can't remember. I'd give anything to forget. This is the only way." He raised the gun to his head, squeezing his eyes against the tears that flooded.

"Don't you dare leave me!" Dick yelled. "It's you and me, Cass. You're the only one who matters to me. You're my brother. The only one I got. The only one I'll ever have."

Cassidy looked surprised at his confession. "I don't matter to you. You always complain when I'm around. You put me down. You and Dad leave me out of things. If I'm not here, you can have him all to yourself," Cassidy said bitterly.

"Dad's an ass. I'm an idiot! You know I run my mouth. I don't mean most of the shit I say. You should know that. You're the smart one," Dick said, an edge of panic in his voice. This couldn't be happening. His brother wanted to die, and it was Dick's fault.

"Please, put down the gun and talk to us," Logan said. "You can't leave me alone with your brother. Keeping him out of trouble is a two-man job." Logan tried desperately to lighten the mood.

Cassidy lowered the gun and looked at them expectantly. It was clear that he wanted to be convinced. He didn't really want to die. Not this way. Not now.

"Our teenage years are supposed to suck, Cassidy. People suck sometimes. Killing yourself isn't the answer. We care about you," Mac said. "You matter to us."

Cassidy laughed mirthlessly. "Yeah, right! I matter to _you_? Stop pretending, Mac! Not now. I saw you with Weevil. You were just kissing him in the kitchen a while ago like I didn't matter. You sure weren't thinking about me then," Cassidy announced.

Dick, Logan, and Veronica all looked surprised, Dick especially, at the announcement.

Mac's face flushed as she felt their scrutiny. "I _am_ your friend, Cassidy. I didn't really feel there was more between us than friendship. We hang out like friends do," Mac said honestly. "I was going to tell you about Weevil tomorrow. I didn't want to ruin your birthday."

"Weevil? You like Weevil? Have you lost your mind?" Dick asked in dismay.

"Not the time, Dick," Logan warned.

"So you just couldn't help yourself?" Cassidy said to Mac. He had expected so much from her, and like everyone else, she disappointed him. First with Weevil and then by hacking into his computer. Not only was he never enough for anyone, but people never seemed to be what he hoped they'd be. He was so tired of being hurt and disappointed. He just wanted it all to stop.

"I was upset," Mac shared. "You're not the only one who gets picked on or put down. I got cornered by Madison Sinclair and two of her friends. They didn't think I should be at an 09er party. Weevil was being a friend. We weren't making out. I just gave him a slight kiss as a thank you. I'm sorry. I wasn't trying to hurt you. I didn't really think you liked me as more than a friend. I don't have much experience with this kind of thing." She was uncomfortable having such a personal conversation with an audience, but she knew that she needed to say whatever she could to keep Cassidy from using the gun.

Cassidy stared wordlessly at her, the gun completely lowered. "I thought maybe with you I could be normal. I don't feel like a freak when I'm with you," Cassidy admitted tiredly. Then he looked away, not able to look at her anymore. "I thought you liked me."

"I do. I'm your friend," Mac said earnestly, her eyes bright with unshed tears. "Please, don't make me watch you die." Her voice broke. She looked helplessly at Dick, whose fear was apparent.

They were interrupted by a knock on the door. "I'm coming in," a voice said. The door opened, and Keith Mars cautiously walked through the door. Leo was behind him.

"Get out!" Cassidy yelled, upset at the presence of the former Sheriff and a deputy.

Keith took in the scene and relaxed slightly once he saw his daughter had not been hurt. He raised his hands. "Calm down, Cassidy. I'm here to help you. Please let me," Keith said calmly.

"You can't help me! No one can!" Cassidy replied.

"That's not true, son. Nothing's ever so bad that you need to kill yourself," Keith said calmly.

"You won't say that when you find out what I did," Cassidy said spitefully. "I raped your daughter."

Keith had not been prepared to hear that, and he looked at his daughter, who nodded. "It was a few months after Lilly died. Someone gave me a drink with GHB in it," she quickly explained.

"Cassidy didn't drug her. He didn't know. She was coming on to everyone at the party," Dick said desperate to excuse his brother in some way. Then he pointed to Logan. "Even Logan was drinking shots off of her until Duncan took her away. Duncan slept with her, too, but she's only calling _my_ brother a rapist!"

"That's what he is!" Veronica said angrily.

"It's okay, Dick. You don't need to defend me. I deserve to die. I've been used like a whore since I was a kid. I'm garbage. My dad thinks so. No one will miss me. My mom bought me an expensive car for my birthday, but she couldn't bother to even call me and wish me a happy birthday or show up in person," Cassidy said sadly. He looked resigned; the fight gone from him. He raised the gun. "I'm sorry, Dick. This really isn't your fault."

Veronica took a step forward. "No, you are not going to run from what you did, Cassidy! This is the coward's way out! What you did to me was the act of a weak, spineless boy. Is that all you are? Is it?" Veronica demanded.

Cassidy hesitated, not pulling the trigger. Veronica continued, "If you are really sorry for what you did, you'll put down the gun. You'll face up to it. You'll get help. I'm sorry for what Woody did to you. You didn't deserve that. But I didn't deserve what you did to me either."

"Don't do this, Cassidy. Please!" Dick begged.

Mac couldn't watch anymore and left the room. Weevil was standing outside of the open door. Hector, Duncan, and Meg were there, too. Weevil grabbed her and pulled her into his arms as she sobbed. "He wants to die. He won't listen!" she wailed.

Duncan went through the door and saw Cassidy with the gun to his head. "What are you doing, dude? How could you think about killing yourself after my sister died?" Duncan asked Cassidy. "You know how it messes people up. My sister was murdered; she didn't have a choice. You have a choice. Don't do this."

Keith took a step forward, pushing his daughter back. He faced Cassidy. "Give me the gun, Cassidy. You don't want to die. You still have your whole life ahead of you and people who care about you. You don't really want them to remember you this way, do you?" Keith asked. He held out his hand.

Cassidy looked at Keith Mars, whose honest and earnest face looked at him without hatred. Even though Cassidy had told him what he'd done, Keith still looked at him with compassion, Veronica with determination. He looked around the room. Mac had fled, unable to take the scene anymore. Dick looked terrified. Cassidy had a sudden thought. What would Dick do without him? Who would talk him out of some of his more harebrained ideas? Dick was never anyone's first choice. Not Logan's, not Duncan's. Not Madison's. He only really had Cassidy. Realizing that he didn't want to leave his brother after all, he lowered the gun. He remembered what Mac had said that morning. _"He's your brother. He loves you."_ Looking at Dick's tear-filled eyes, Cassidy finally realized that she might be right.

"Give him the gun, Cassidy," Dick ordered.

Cassidy looked at his brother and nodded. Dick really did care if he lived. For now, it was enough, and he put the gun on the desk. Keith moved quickly and grabbed it. Leo came up and stood next to Keith. "You need to come with me," Leo told him.

"Are you arresting him?" Dick asked.

"Whenever there's a suicide attempt, the policy is to take them to talk to someone," Leo said. He didn't see the point in explaining about the 72-hour suicide hold that was mandatory in these cases. It would give them time to investigate these rape charges and whatever else was going on here.

"He needs help," Keith said. Leo led Cassidy away. "Call your dad, Dick. I need to talk to him. If he's out of town, tell him he must come home immediately."

Outside the study, Mac looked relieved to see Cassidy coming out alive. Cassidy morosely took in the fact that she was clinging to Weevil. "I'm sorry, Mac," he said as Leo started to lead him away.

Mac pulled away from Weevil and went to Cassidy. She gave him a hug. "Don't give up on life," she whispered.

Cassidy wasn't sure if he could do that or not, but he supposed he really didn't have a choice.

****** _Chapter End*_ *****

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I know there's more to resolve and address. I haven't forgotten Cassidy's diabolical plans to blow up the bus. But I thought answering the question of whether Cassidy lived or died was a priority. Now you know. There was a lot of different ways I could've done this. I let Logan take a back seat. However, when faced with a similar situation on the show, Logan didn't know what to say to Cassidy. In this case, I felt in the end it should be Veronica and Dick who made the most impact. Both are the most invested in the outcome. I couldn't see bringing up his murder plans at this time. If a guy's about to kill himself, bringing up other bad things he's doing, probably isn't the way to convince him not to go through with it. I hope I didn't disappoint with this one. Reviews are very much appreciated! Thanks for reading.


	37. Telling the Tale

****** _Still at the Casablancas Friday Night******_

Veronica ran to her dad, and he wrapped her in his arms. "You and I need to have a very long chat, young lady," Keith said.

Veronica looked up at him, her eyes bright with unshed tears. "I'm sorry, Daddy. I'll tell you everything. I promise," Veronica said.

"You all will need to go down to the station and give statements," Keith said.

"Can you bring Leo to the house? I don't want to go down to the station and look at Don's stupid face," Veronica said.

"Sure, honey. I'll see what I can do," Keith said.

Peter and Marco appeared. "Is Cassidy going to jail? What happened?" Peter asked.

"Peter, you and Marco need to tell Mr. Mars the secret you've been keeping," Mac said gently.

They looked startled. "You know?" Marco asked in surprise.

"Yes. Cassidy almost killed himself. Woody needs to pay for what he did," Mac said.

Keith's eyebrows raised at her words. He gave Veronica a questioning look. "Talk to them, Dad. Take down their story. Lamb won't ignore you. He ignored me when I tried to report my rape," she said.

"What?" Keith asked in outrage. "You reported a rape, and Lamb ignored you?"

"He pretty much laughed in my face," she said grimly. "Woody is powerful in this city. You got to make sure that Lamb won't laugh at what they tell you. I'll tell you my story later."

Keith nodded. Then he had the boys follow him into the study. "Get your dad to come home now, Dick," he said to Dick on his way into the study. He shut the door. Dick stepped away to make the call.

"Are you guys okay?" Meg asked in concern.

"It was Cassidy?" Duncan asked Veronica, finally piecing it together.

Veronica nodded. "We found a journal," she said. She decided it was best not to share what else they found. Mac and Logan didn't volunteer any details.

"He's pretty messed up," Veronica said. "But I convinced him that he needed to own up to what he did."

Logan put his arms around her shoulder, and she allowed herself to lean against him for comfort. "Will you take me home? I'll talk to Dad there," she said to him.

He nodded. They all turned to walk out when Dick appeared. "My dad's coming. He's going to call an attorney for my brother," Dick shared.

"Good. Your dad needs to come home and take some responsibility," Veronica said sourly.

"Haven't you done enough, Ronnie?" Dick said angrily.

"Veronica saved your brother's life," Logan said. "She convinced him to put down the gun."

"Only because she wants to see him suffer," Dick said in disgust.

"No, Dick, that's not it at all. But I don't expect you to get it. You don't see anything. You never do. Nothing is your fault. You're misunderstood. You're just having fun," Veronica mocked. "Newsflash, Dick. Not everyone finds you funny. Not everything you say is witty. Your money doesn't make you better than me."

"Okay, let's go. We're all upset. We'll talk later," Logan said. He led Veronica away before Dick could respond. Duncan and Meg followed them out.

"Can you drive my car and take me home?" Mac asked Weevil, knowing she was too upset to drive.

"Sure, Hector can follow," Weevil said, looking at his friend, whose silent presence was mostly unnoticed by everyone but him.

Hector nodded. "But don't you got to go give statements first?" he asked.

"Oh, yeah. I guess we'll stop by the police station before taking me home," Mac said. "Sorry to drag out your night."

Hector shrugged. "No problemo," he said.

Mac went over to Dick, who was glaring at her. "Don't you look at me that way! I've done nothing wrong, and I won't be criticized by you," Mac said sternly. She knew Dick was upset about her budding relationship with Weevil, but she wasn't going to let him get away with judging her. Not after all he had done. Then she softened and reached out and squeezed his hand. "He put down the gun. He wants to live. We've got to give him reasons not to do it again. He's going to need us."

"You're not going to walk away from him? Not after what he did to Ronnie?" Dick asked in surprise.

Mac sighed wearily. "He needs us. He knows what he did was wrong," Mac said. "But it's time for you to think about what part you played in it all and take some responsibility. Quit blaming and attacking Veronica. She's the victim."

"My brother was a victim, too," Dick reminded her.

"I know," Mac said sadly. "We'll talk later. Good luck trying to explain all this to your dad."

Dick blanched at the thought. He needed to get drunk very badly.

Mac went back over to Weevil who was unable to quit glaring at Dick. Mac reached out and grabbed his hand. "I'm ready," she said.

He nodded and started to walk her past Dick, but then he stopped and looked at Dick. "As far as I'm concerned, you dumb ass, you might as well have raped Veronica yourself," Weevil said to Dick with barely repressed anger. "You left your screwed up brother in a room with a drugged girl and told him to have his way with her."

"I didn't know he was screwed up!" Dick protested once again.

"That's no excuse! I have two younger brothers, and not only would I never let anyone lay a hand on them, but I'd never give them a reason to hurt themselves or anyone else," Weevil said harshly. "You gotta a lot to answer for."

Mac tugged on his hand. Even though she knew Weevil had a point, it pained her to look at Dick's stricken face. She didn't know if he was strong enough to face the consequences of his actions.

In silence, the three of them left the house. Dick watched them go. Being rebuked and criticized by the former PCHer made him burn with anger. However, a small voice inside of him told him that Weevil had a point. He sucked.

***** _*Veronica's Apartment*******_

Logan was flipping through the channels on Veronica's television when she came out of her room after her shower. When they arrived home, she had felt dirty and had wanted to scrub herself raw. Her mind kept racing, trying to take in all that had happened that evening. She sat down on the couch and curled against Logan's chest, seeking comfort. He wrapped his arms around her and held her tight, glad she wasn't pushing him away.

"It's going to be okay," Logan said as he stroked a hand down her hair.

She looked up. "Is it? How?" she asked bluntly.

"Now you know what happened. You know why. You can put it behind you," Logan said.

Veronica sat up. "I'm not sure, Logan. I don't think it's going to be that easy," Veronica said. "Sure, I'm glad to finally know who did it. But how am I supposed to feel about Cassidy? I honestly never seriously considered it was him. How can I be a F.B.I. agent someday when I'm unable to recognize a rapist and potential murderer that's right in front of me?"

"We don't know that Cassidy was seriously going to kill anyone," Logan defended. "Don't people write things in their journals and stuff that is just venting? Or fantasizing?"

"He had schematics for a bomb. That's not fantasizing," Veronica said grimly. "Just thinking about what could've happened if Mac hadn't got into his computer and found that stuff makes me ill."

"I just can't see Beaver hurting people like that," Logan said honestly.

"One, you better quit calling him Beaver. He's not the cute little boy who tagged along after you and Dick when he was a kid. Two, he hurt me," Veronica reminded him. "Sometimes, people who are hurting only feel better if they lash out and hurt others. That's what I did a few times to you and some of the 09ers."

"We deserved it, and you didn't really hurt anyone," Logan said.

"Of course not. I'm sane!" Veronica said.

"So you think he's crazy?" Logan asked.

"Well, he's definitely more messed up than any of us realized," Veronica said. "People can't be constantly emotionally and sexually abused most of their lives without some type of damage. Dick Sr. and Jr. spent most of his life inflicting emotional and mental abuse on him. Then Woody came along and found him an easy target. Victims of sexual abuse, especially boys, are often those that are isolated in some way from their peers or family. Sexual predators find them easy targets. They're very nice and attentive to the boy at first, and the poor victim soaks up the positive attention. They prey on the boy's insecurities and need for love and attention. That's why the victims often don't tell. They feel like it was their fault."

"Poor Cassidy," Logan said before he realized it. He looked quickly at Veronica to see if his sympathy angered her. "I'm sorry," he said immediately.

"I can understand your sympathy. I'm not indifferent to what happened to him. But just about every monster on death role has a similar tale. Does that mean they shouldn't be held accountable for their crimes? Should we just give them counseling and let them go? What about those that survive abuse and come out stronger? People like me," Veronica said passionately.

"Not everyone is as strong as you, Veronica. Not everyone has a father like yours," Logan pointed out. "How would you have responded had you not had a father like Keith Mars? What if you had turned out to be a Kane and raised in that family? Do you think you would've been as strong? As centered?"

Veronica thought about it a moment before replying. She knew that Logan was thinking of his own bad choices and how he was affected by his parents. He didn't always handle things well—they both knew that. "I think some people are just born stronger like people that are born faster or smarter. Sure, your environment can feed certain traits. Like a child that can run fast but is never let out to play may never develop into a strong athlete. A person that is nurtured will have better coping skills," Veronica said. "But some people just don't have murder in them. It's not in their hearts or minds or souls." She reached up and put her hand on his face. "Imagining killing your abusive parent doesn't make you weak or a monster, Logan. The difference between you and Cassidy is you would never do it. Not even if it was to someone like your dad who may deserve it. Cassidy's selfishness made his pain more important than anything. His pride kept him from seeking help. He saw murdering two of his friends as a better solution than allowing anyone to know what was done to them. No amount of counseling or hand holding is going to ever make Cassidy alright in my opinion."

Logan knew she was right. He just wasn't sure he had as much faith in himself as she obviously did. However, he liked to think she was right and that he could never hurt a woman the way his dad had done him, his mother, and Lilly. His mother had been weak like Cassidy. Her pain had been more important than even her love for him. She had wanted to escape it more than she had wanted to stay and protect him. He sighed heavily. "People suck," he finally said to her.

She gave him a tired smile. "They really do," she said. Then a wave of emotion hit her and her eyes filled with tears. Logan once again pulled her into his arms and held her as she quietly cried.

**** _*Mac and Weevil*_ ****

After giving Leo their statements at the Sheriff's Department, Mac and Weevil headed back to her car. She had given Hector directions to her house, and he was waiting for them there. He had wanted to go grab something to eat, and since he hadn't really seen much, he didn't need to give a statement. Weevil reached over and grabbed her hand to stop her from getting into the car.

"Are you okay?" he asked her in concern.

"Not really. It was a truly awful night. I never imagined when I agreed to hack into Cassidy's computer that I would uncover so many horrible things," Mac shared.

"It's a good thing you did that, though. Who knows what could've happened?" Weevil pointed out.

"Yeah," she said softly.

She looked so sad that Weevil couldn't resist pulling her against him for a hug. Mac relaxed into his hold, needing support. After a minute, Mac looked up at him and gave him a tired smile. "I'm really glad you were here tonight. It was the only bright spot in the entire night," she told him.

Weevil brushed the back of his hand down one side of her cheek in a gentle caress. "I'm glad, too," he said. He leaned down and gave her a light kiss.

Then they got into the car. Before he could start her car, Mac said, "Cassidy knows about us."

Weevil looked at her in surprise. "How?" he asked, not knowing how she'd had a chance to have a heart to heart with Cassidy.

"While we were in the study, he told everyone that he'd saw me kissing you in the kitchen," Mac revealed with a grimace.

Weevil reached over and took her hand. "I can't imagine you enjoyed everyone hearing your business that way," he said.

"Not especially. Dick was mad. Cassidy said it was proof I didn't care about him. For a moment, my heart stopped because I thought that our closeness might be what pushes him over the edge," Mac shared.

"If he had went over the edge, it wouldn't have been your fault," Weevil assured her. "If someone really wants to kill themselves, they'll find a way."

"Yeah," Mac said.

"What did you tell him?" Weevil asked.

"That you and I hadn't been making-out, but you'd been there for me when I got corned by Madison. I told him that he wasn't the only one who gets picked on," Mac said. "He said that with me he didn't feel like such a freak. That he thought he could be normal." Her voice wavered a bit as she said, "He told me he really liked me."

Weevil felt helpless as silent tears rolled down her cheeks. He reached over and wiped her cheeks. "Don't cry. I hate it!" he admitted.

She gave him a watery smile. "I'm sorry. I just feel so bad," she said.

Weevil pulled back some. "Do you regret what's happening between us?" he asked with a frown.

"No," she said simply. "I regret that Cassidy feels rejected because of it. I told him that it didn't feel like there was more than friendship between us. I think he knows it, but he doesn't want to admit it. I didn't want to hurt him."

"I think the screwed-up kid has been through a lot more hurt than you could ever dish out, Cindy. You have nothing to feel guilty about. His parents do. Dick does. And he does. You don't. Veronica doesn't. Everyone's got their own shit to deal with. But when they take their shit out on others, it's not right. Nor does it make me inclined to feel sorry for them," Weevil said firmly.

Mac sighed. "I know. I just keep picturing Cassidy as he looked in those Shark photos as a little kid. It breaks my heart to know he was being abused and had no one to turn to. It shouldn't have happened. Why would anyone want to hurt a kid?" Mac asked.

"Why would anyone want to hurt Veronica when she's drugged and unconscious? Those 09ers did. Logan did, too, then. People can be assholes. It sucks when it's someone we care about," Weevil said. "V might've forgiven Logan, and I know Logan regrets the way he treated her. But it's not going to be easy to divorce his actions from what happened to her. If he hadn't made her a target, no one would've messed with her."

"I know. I'm not sure if I could be with someone that had hurt me like that," Mac said. "Veronica is an amazing person. So strong."

"You know Lilly would've kicked Logan's ass if she'd been alive, and he'd hurt her that way. None of the 09ers would've dared mess with her," Weevil said.

"You really cared about Lilly, didn't you?" Mac asked curiously.

"Yeah. She and I..Well..you know..." his voice trailed off.

Mac smiled a real smile at his sudden awkwardness. "It's okay. Veronica told me that you and she were involved before she died," Mac shared.

Weevil looked relieved that he wouldn't have to tell her anything. "Her death really changed a lot of things," Weevil finally said.

"I think Logan went a little crazy after she died," Mac said.

"Yeah. I guess we all know what a monster his dad was. It couldn't have been easy growing up with a dad like that. His mom killed himself just to get away from his dad," Weevil observed.

"Parents can do a lot of damage to their kids," Mac said.

Weevil thought about her own revelation about her parentage. "Have you told your parents that you know you're adopted?" he asked.

"No. I think about it sometimes. But they're so happy. It's not easy to have a daughter who's so different from you. And they try so hard to find a way to connect with me. I just don't want them to think I don't love them. Or that I'm unhappy," Mac said.

"You don't want to know Madison's parents? _Your_ parents?" Weevil asked.

"Sometimes. I went by there not long after I found out. I could tell Madison's mom knew that I knew. She looked sad and regretful, but she didn't try to contact me or my parents," Mac shared. "What I regret is the fact that I have a sister I will never know."

"You do?" Weevil asked in surprise.

"Yeah, and she's like me. She looks like me, and she loves to read," Mac said with a sad smile. "Madison wasn't very nice to her. I really hated it. Her name is Lauren, and she had no idea who I was. I will forever be a stranger to her."

Weevil couldn't imagine having a sibling he would never be able to know. "Man, that blows," he said with sympathy. He started the car, and they drove to her house in silence, each thinking of the events of the night and the things they'd learned.

When they arrived at her house, Weevil turned off the car and handed her the keys. "Thanks," she said.

"Happy to. I wish I could do more because I don't like seeing you so upset," Weevil admitted.

"You're doing a lot," Mac said. She opened her car door and got out. Weevil walked her to the door. Hector was waiting on his bike on the road at the end of her driveway. "Good night."

"Good night," he said. "Do you want to hang out tomorrow?"

"How about Sunday?" Mac suggested. "I could use a day to decompress."

"That's fine. Do you want to have lunch after I get back from mass?" he asked.

"Sure. I can meet you at your house around noon," Mac said. She gave him a shy smile.

"Looking forward to it," Weevil said with grin.

His smile always gave her butterflies. She put her hand on the door knob, leaning against the door. She wanted to kiss him but the memory of Cassidy's accusing face came to her mind. Guilt pierced her. Although she knew she really shouldn't feel guilty, she still did. "Let's take things slow, okay?" she prompted.

Weevil nodded, understanding. "I'll call you tomorrow," he said.

Mac flashed a dimpled smile and slipped inside her house.

Weevil paused a minute before turning and walking toward Hector.

"Rejected!" Hector teased.

"Not at all. She's had a traumatic night. I have a lunch date with her on Sunday," Weevil said smugly.

Hector laughed. "Leave it to you to get a date with the almost girlfriend of the latest whack-job in town!" he exclaimed.

Weevil refused to be baited and got on the back of Hector's bike. "Shut the hell up and take me back to my bike," Weevil ordered.

Snickering, Hector started the bike.

***** _Back at the Mars'_ ******

Keith made it home about an hour after them. When he came in, he saw his daughter snuggling against Logan on the couch. The television was on, but he didn't think they were watching it. He had conflicting emotions about seeing his daughter with Logan. Just as he was becoming used to the idea of Logan's role in his daughter's life, he finds out things he should've known a long time ago. Things that if he'd known, he would've prevented this particular relationship from developing. His daughter had been dealing with even more than he had suspected. His upset at her secretiveness warred with his admiration of her strength. Pride filled him. His daughter was the strongest person he knew. He put the keys down on the bar, and the two teens finally noticed him. Veronica sat up.

"Leo should be here soon," Keith said.

"Did you talk to Marco and Peter? Did they tell you about what happened to them and Cassidy?" Veronica asked.

"Yes. It's very upsetting. Woody Goodman was always someone I admired. I'm going to have to throw away his baseball card," Keith said in disgust.

"Burn it," Logan added.

"Honey, I know it's going to be hard for you to tell us what's been happening, and I don't want you to have to tell it twice, so I'm going to wait until Leo and Cliff get here," Keith said.

"Cliff?" Veronica asked in surprise.

"He needs to hear this because if you reported a crime to Don and he ignored it, he's going to pay," Keith announced.

"Someone needs to remove him from office," Logan agreed.

"And this just might do it," Keith said.

Veronica looked uncomfortable. "I'm not sure I want the entire city to know what happened to me," she said. "Things were just starting to calm down at school."

"If anyone bothers you, I'll take care of them," Logan vowed.

"I guess that's an improvement over drinking shots off of her," Keith said darkly, unable to hold back his glare. Logan's guilty expression made it clear that Dick hadn't be lying.

"Dad, Logan's not that person anymore," Veronica said. "He didn't handle Lilly's death well."

"No, he lashed out at you as the entire city blamed me for not buying the story the Kanes were peddling. A story they paid a man to tell," Keith reminded them, not taking his eyes off of Logan.

Logan didn't bother making excuses. There was no good one he could offer anyway. He'd been a complete jackass. The fact that Veronica chose to see past that was one of the many reasons he loved her.

"Everyone knows the truth now," Veronica said.

"Do you see how lies have a way of muddying the waters, Veronica? It really pains me that you've felt the need to carry all this around alone. I thought we were close, and you knew you could talk to me about anything," Keith said, his sadness evident.

"We are, Dad! I do know I can tell you anything," Veronica quickly assured him. "I just knew that things had been bad enough for you, and if you found this out, it'd just make things worse for you. And that you'd never let me leave the house again."

"I'm the parent, sweetheart. It's not your job to protect me. It's the other way around," Keith said. "And maybe you not going off alone so much all the time is a good idea."

"I'm not alone," Veronica said, looking at Logan with a small smile.

Before Keith could comment on that, there was a knock at his door. He got up to let in Leo and Cliff.

"Must be very serious if one of your former deputies is here," Cliff observed.

"It is. We should be doing this down at the station, but once you hear the story, you'll understand why we're not," Keith said. "Did you bring a tape recorder?"

Leo pulled his out.

"I always carry one in my briefcase," Cliff said.

Veronica got up and grabbed another chair for Leo to sit in. Her dad joined her and Logan on the couch while Cliff took the chair.

"Are you ready, sweetheart?" Keith asked.

Veronica took a sip of her bottled water and nodded. "Well, it starts the December after Lilly died. When the 09ers turned on me, it pissed me off. So I crashed Shelly Pomrey's party," Veronica began. And she told the men about what little she could remember about the night, and what she had pieced together.

Leo interrupted. "So Dick Casablancas put GHB in his girlfriend's drink without her knowing about it?" he asked.

"Yes, some guys think it's cool. I know one girl at the party that was drugged and her boyfriend took a video of her doing something really embarrassing. Then he used it to blackmail her into not dumping him," Veronica shared, thinking of Carmen.

"Your school is evil," Cliff said with a shake of his head.

"Tell me about it," Veronica said.

"So Madison Sinclair had no idea that the cup she handed you was drugged?" Leo asked.

"No. Meg told me she likes to give what she calls "Trips to the Dentist" by spitting in a drink and handing it to someone she hates or wants to humiliate," Veronica explained. "I didn't realize who gave me the drink at the party, but it explains how I was drugged."

"So neither Casablancas brothers knew you were drugged?" Cliff asked.

"Everyone thought I was drunk. From what I pieced together, I was pretty out of it. I was told that I made out with Casey and Dick," she admitted in disgust.

"And this is when Logan thought it'd be fun to drink shots off of you?" Keith asked angrily.

"Veronica came to the party uninvited, knowing how she'd be received. It pissed me off. Then when she got trashed and barely knew her own name and was laying down on a lounge chair by the pool, I took advantage and decided to humiliate her. I just thought she was wasted," Logan said to Keith. "I was an ass. I was angry and a mess. My girlfriend had been murdered the day after we'd gotten into a big fight. I never got to make up with her, and I blamed Veronica. She's the reason Lilly and I had been fighting. She had told Lilly something that caused her to break up with me. When she took up for you, it pissed me off even more. How could she think Duncan or his parents had anything to do with killing her? I didn't handle things well."

"That's an understatement," Keith said with a frown.

"Dad, Logan and I have moved past that. I more than punished him for his behavior. I got him arrested and beat up and humiliated by Weevil," Veronica said with a smug look.

"You don't have to look so pleased," Logan said with a frown.

Leo didn't understand the couple. Veronica had dumped him for this guy even after all this? He shook his head. "Let's stay focused. Logan, you had no idea she had been slipped GHB?" he asked.

Logan shook his head. "No, it never occurred to me, actually. Most of the guys who had the drug were going to take it with their girlfriends," Logan said.

"Your generation really doesn't know how to treat the ladies," Cliff observed.

"Hey, some of us do," Leo said, giving Veronica a meaningful look. She couldn't hold his stare and looked away. It was too hard to explain why she forgave Logan.

"So you gave your GHB to the girl you were dating at the time?" Leo asked.

Logan flashed Veronica another guilty look. "No. I gave it to Duncan," he admitted.

"What?" Keith asked.

"He had saw what we were doing to Veronica and had rescued her. He'd been such a drag since his sister died, and I wanted him to loosen up," Logan admitted.

"So you drugged your best friend because he was still sad about his sister's death when she'd only been dead two months? You're a real prince," Leo said, unable to hide his disgust. He looked at Veronica. "And you quit seeing _me_ for this guy? You really have issues."

"Leo, that's uncalled for! If you're relationship with my daughter is going to make this too hard for you, then I'll call Sacks," Keith said, giving Leo a warning look.

"I'm sorry," Leo said.

Leo's words hurt Veronica. He was such a decent guy. She wanted to like a guy like him. But how could Leo begin to understand the dark places inside of her? She squeezed Logan's hand, letting him know she understood how he was feeling now. Just like he understood her. No one else may get it, and it didn't matter to her. Veronica knew how much Logan hated himself for what had happened and his part in it. He punished himself more than she ever could.

"Who brought the GHB?" Leo asked, looking at Logan.

Logan looked uncomfortable but answered honestly, "Sean, Luke, and I picked it up in Tijuana."

Leo made a note while Keith continued to glare at him. Logan felt Keith Mar's disappointment and anger all the way to his soul. He admired Veronica's dad and had become to feel like Keith was starting to accept him again. Now that was ruined, and Keith would probably hate him forever.

Veronica went on to describe how Dick and Sean had carried her into a bedroom and had told Cassidy to have his way with her. All three men looked disgusted as the story unfolded. Keith had to clench his fists hard to keep still.

"But you didn't really think Cassidy had touched you?" Leo asked.

"No, I found out it had been Duncan," she admitted.

"What?" Keith asked sharply. "Duncan Kane took advantage of your state?"

"Remember, Dad, he'd been drugged, too. He found me in the room. He said I told him that I missed him and kissed him. Then things went from there. He didn't realize that I didn't remember. He thought I was embarrassed for getting drunk and sleeping with him. We had never had sex when we were dating," Veronica shared, wanting to die from embarrassment. She never imagined she'd be telling this tale to her dad, Cliff, and a guy she had once dated.

"You were a virgin and two different guys took advantage of your condition?" Keith asked in outrage. He got up and went to the kitchen, unable to face her anymore. He wanted to rage and howl at what had happened to his daughter. He wanted to kill Logan Echolls and Dick Casablancas. He looked over and glared at Logan, who cringed under his gaze. Keith turned on the sink and filled a glass with water. He drank it down. Then he turned back to his daughter. "I'm sorry."

"Now you know why I didn't tell you before," Veronica said dryly.

"This was something I needed to know, Veronica!" Keith said sharply.

"Do you consider what Duncan did to you as rape?" Leo asked, determined to get through her story. "You have no memory of saying yes."

"I loved Duncan. Our break-up really hurt me. He never even told me why we broke up. He just stopped talking to me. When I started trying to piece together the events of the party months later, I found out that his spiteful mother had told him were siblings because of Mom's relationship with Jake Kane," Veronica said.

Keith looked ill as Cliff and Leo gave him surprised looks. Cliff wasn't surprised about the affair but the sibling part. Anyone who knew Veronica and Keith would know that she was a chip off the old block.

"Duncan had sex with you believing you were siblings?" Leo asked, trying hard to not show any expression or judgment.

"It's pretty disgusting, isn't it?" Logan said with distaste.

"Shut-up, Logan. We don't need a commentary from you, especially since it wouldn't have happened at all if you hadn't thought it a good idea to drug your best friend. Let alone supply GHB as a party favor," Keith said sternly.

Logan felt ill at the reminder, and he wanted very badly to leave. It was torture having to hear Veronica recall what had happened while facing her father. Logan could tell that Keith blamed him. Rightly so. It was his fault. He looked away in shame.

"Dad, I can't tell this story if you're going to keep attacking Logan," Veronica said flatly. "It's hard enough. This is the most humiliating story of my life. Please, don't put the Duncan sibling part in your report, Leo. No one needs to know that."

"I won't," he assured her. "So if you knew that you and Duncan slept together, why did you still keep investigating?"

Logan and Veronica exchanged looks. "Well, Logan and I went and got tested for STD's," she admitted.

"And why would you need to be tested for STD's?" Keith asked sharply.

"Do you really want me to answer that, Dad?" Veronica asked with an arch of her brow.

Keith quickly shut up.

"Logan had admitted that he'd never been tested, so I just got tested as a way to show my support," Veronica said. "I never expected that I'd be the one with an STD."

"You tested positive?" Keith asked in concern.

"Yes, for chlamydia," Veronica shared. "But Logan was negative. Then I knew that someone had given it to me. Since I had no memories of any sexual encounters, I knew that it had happened at Shelly's party. I went to Duncan and asked him to get tested. If he'd didn't have it, it'd mean that I'd slept with him first and someone had come along and found me in the bedroom after Duncan left. Cassidy had left me before Duncan had found me, so I didn't really consider him as a suspect. Since Duncan tested negative, I knew for sure that I had been raped."

"Who did you suspect?" Cliff asked, curious.

"Dick," she said. Then she proceeded to talk them through her investigation process.

Logan shared about helping search Dick's room and finding plans to blow up a bus. All three men sat up straight.

"Cassidy was planning on having Peter and Marco killed?" Leo asked.

"We found bomb schematics on the computer," Veronica shared.

"Leo, you'll need to get a warrant for the Casablancas' house and that computer. Do it tonight before Lamb gets wind of this and tries to throw a wrench in it. Ever since Columbine, just having plans to do harm at a school is a criminal offense," Keith said.

"But Cassidy's messed up. You heard what Woody did to him," Logan said.

"Maybe. He's a minor, so I'm sure the D.A. will make sure he gets help," Keith said. He wasn't exactly sure how he felt about Cassidy. The kid obviously regretted what he'd done. Keith had seen a lot of abused children during his tenure as sheriff. Many got involved in drugs to cope. Others became angry and violent. He knew Cassidy has been fourteen when he'd done it. Keith hated when young teens made choices that would ruin their lives. They never seemed to get the fact that some things could never be erased or forgotten. However, it would be his daughter that would forever carry what he did with her.

"Did Cassidy admit anything to you?" Leo asked.

"We didn't really get a chance to get into it. Once he realized Mac had gotten into his computer and read his journal, he ran down to his dad's study and grabbed the gun," Veronica said.

"Did he ever threaten to kill any of you with it?" Leo asked.

Logan and Veronica shook their heads. "He was pointing it at us when we entered the study, but when Dick asked him if he planned on shooting us, he immediately lowered it and told us he only wanted to shoot himself," Logan said.

Leo asked a few more questions and got all the details from them. Then he got up. "I've got a lot to do before my shift ends, so I'm going to go. If you have anything else to add, please call me," Leo told them.

Keith got up and walked him to the door. "I'll move on that warrant, Keith. This is one 09er kid that isn't going to get away with either crime," Leo promised.

Keith shook Leo's hand and thanked him.

Cliff got up. "I'll work on filing a grievance against against Lamb," Cliff told Keith.

"Let's go even further. I'm going to look in on Lamb's arrest record since I left office. He's already had one screw up on his record recently with the charges against Logan and his piss-poor handling of the investigation. Maybe we can show a pattern of not seriously investigating the Fitzpatricks. That combined with what he did to Veronica should definitely weigh the deck against him," Keith said.

Cliff grinned. "I love it when you're devious. It renews my faith in mankind!" he said happily. "You should also think about a lawsuit, Keith. Where were all these 09er parents when this party was going on?"

Keith nodded, considering. "One thing at a time," he said.

Cliff left and Keith turned to his daughter and her boyfriend. He knew now wasn't the time to address his many misgivings about the two of them. Veronica had been through enough tonight. "Logan, I think it's time for you to say goodnight," Keith said.

"I need to walk Back-Up, so I'll walk him out," Veronica said, getting up. Back-Up perked up when he heard his name.

Keith didn't argue. "Don't take too long," he said as they walked out the front door.

"That was the funniest inquisition ever!" Logan said mockingly.

"I want to say it could've been worse, but I honestly can't think of how," Veronica said as they walked down the stairs.

"Well, I guess your dad could've punched me out. I wouldn't have been surprised," Logan said. "I deserve it."

When they got to the bottom of the stairs, Veronica turned to him. "I would've. My dad doesn't go around punching out anyone, especially not teenagers," Veronica said. "He's an overprotective father who loves his only daughter more than anything. He just needs time to come to terms with everything."

"You think he'll ever quit hating me?" Logan said woefully.

Veronica felt bad for him. She knew how starved Logan was for a male role model. Her dad was the only one he had besides Jake Kane, and she definitely wanted Logan modeling himself after her dad. "I think once he sees how much you regret what happened, and how much you adore me, he'll come around," she told him with a smile, hoping to ease his pain.

"I do adore you," Logan said, giving her a sad smile.

Veronica raised up on her toes to kiss him. "It's been a long night," she said when the kiss ended. "We can't solve everything tonight."

Logan agreed and strolled along with her as she took Back-Up for his walk. He held her hand and tried to be hopeful. However, so much had happened tonight. All the secrets were uncovered and the scabs ripped away from wounds that had began to heal. Keith's expression had said it all. Veronica deserved so much better than him. Logan dreaded the day when she'd finally realize that.

***** _Chapter End*_ ****

_Comments are awesome!_


	38. Blame & Forgiveness

***** _Saturday*_ ****

Wallace woke up Saturday morning, determined to see Veronica. He had talked to her last night on the phone, and she had assured him she was okay. However, he had obviously been kept out of a very big loop. He wasn't sure how he became an outsider in his best friend's life, but he headed over to her place intending to be let back inside the crazy world she lived in.

Veronica was absently eating a bowl of oatmeal when Wallace knocked on her door.

"Good morning," she said, smiling and stepping back to let him in. She was happy to have a distraction. It'd been too long since she and her best friend had hung out.

"I wanted to come see for myself that you're okay," Wallace said, eying her in concern.

"I'm okay," she said. "Would you like something to eat?"

"Nah, I'm good. But I'll pour myself some O.J.," Wallace said, heading to her refrigerator. "Where's Keith?"

"He has a half day at work. Then he's coming home, so we can do some father-daughter bonding," Veronica said.

"So you want to tell me why I've become the last one in your life to know what's going on?" Wallace asked. "It seems that even Dick knows more than me these days."

Veronica looked guilty. "I'm sorry, Wallace. It started kind of personal and escalated very quickly. I didn't mean to leave you in the dark," Veronica said.

"Personal?" Wallace prompted.

"Logan and I got STD tests, and I found out I was the one with an STD. So I knew that there was a good chance that someone else has taken advantage of me at Shelly's party sophomore year," Veronica informed him.

Wallace's mind raced as he thought about what she said. "And you found out who it was?" he asked.

"It was Cassidy," she said grimly.

Wallace's eyes widened in surprise. "Really? Dick's little brother?" he asked.

Then Veronica proceeded to fill in all the missing pieces for Wallace, who listened with rapt attention.

When she was done talking, Wallace got up from his stool and put his arms around her shoulder. "I'm really sorry," he said simply.

Veronica leaned her head against his shoulder for a minute. "Me, too," she said.

She got off the bar stool. "Let's sit on the couch. It's more comfortable," she told him. He followed her to the couch, and they sat down on each end, facing one another.

"So Cassidy got arrested?" Wallace asked.

"No, he's in the psych ward at Neptune Memorial," Veronica said. "They'll be a 72 hour watch and evaluation on him since he almost shot himself."

"He's obviously one messed up kid," Wallace said with a shake of his head.

"More than anyone realized. Mac was dating him. Sort of," Veronica said as she frowned thinking about what had changed with her, too, the past few weeks.

"I bet your dad is going crazy," Wallace said. "Is he mad at you?"

"I think he's more hurt than anything. He's ready to kill Lamb, though," she shared. "He and Cliff are hatching a plan to get him removed from office."

"That'd be vastly satisfying. Lamb's blatant 09er favoritism and ignoring the crime you reported just ain't right," Wallace said in disgust.

"It's so long ago that I don't even have anything but disgust left for Lamb. I don't even think about him anymore unless I have to," Veronica said. "But I'd love for Dad to get his job back and removing Lamb would be the first step. I'm just not sure that I want the entire town knowing my business. Things are finally better at school. This will start all the crap up again."

Wallace knew how vicious the rumors were when he started his junior year at Neptune. It seemed so long ago now. But it had been clear immediately that the only person brave enough to cut him down that day from the flagpole was also the most reviled girl in the school. Her turnabout and sudden blossoming relationship with the ring leader of all the hate had been met with skepticism and disbelief by many. Others thought it was just proof that she was as easy as everyone said.

"Things are very different now," Wallace reminded her. "You're dating the Dark Knight, and friends again with King Kane."

"You've been spending too much time with Dick," Veronica said with an eye roll. "Dark Knight?"

"Well, he's no prince charming, but he protects you now like a knight in shining arm, but his armor is kind of dark," Wallace said with a grin.

Veronica groaned. "So lame!" she complained.

"How's things with you two? It must be getting serious if you're getting STD tests," Wallace observed.

Veronica's face heated as she thought about exactly how heated things had been getting between her and Logan. "He says he loves me," she replied without committing.

"And?" Wallace probed.

"And what?" Veronica asked, playing innocent.

Wallace rolled his eyes. "Don't try that innocent act with me! Remember, girl, I actually know you!" Wallace exclaimed. Then he got serious. "It can't be easy. All this coming up again and be reminded that Logan was a key player—however intentional—in what happened to you. He supplied the drugs that Dick used and drugged Duncan."

"Don't remind me," Veronica said tensely. "He hates himself for it, though. How can I hold it against him? Especially not after all we've been through since then."

"You can hold it against him because you're human. No one would blame you if you take a knee for a bit until things settle down again," Wallace said.

"A lot of people forget that Logan and I didn't just suddenly get together or just discover each other. Logan moved to Neptune six years ago. He was a fixture in my life for four years. He, Lilly, Duncan, and I spent every weekend together and most of every summer together. He was always with Lilly and I with Duncan, but we still hung out together," Veronica said. "I know him better than anyone but maybe Duncan. I know that he would've loved to see me humiliated and embarrassed. But raped? No. Not for a moment. If I doubted that at all, I would never have gone out with him. He told me back in the spring about his behavior toward me at Shelly's party. He never hid it."

Wallace nodded. He knew the roots were deep with her and Logan. Now it was even more obvious. "So what are you thinking of now that all this has come back up and the guilty party found, so to speak?" Wallace asked.

Veronica tried to figure out how to express what she'd been feeling. "I know it's going to take some time before my dad can ever look at Logan without disgust and anger. He's really mad. He blames Logan and Dick just as much as he does Cassidy, I think. He's not said anything to me yet, but I know how his mind works. And it was pretty obvious last night when Logan and I gave our statement to Leo," Veronica shared.

"Are you going to break up with him? Will your dad make you?" Wallace wondered.

"No, I don't think he'd go that far. It's not really his style, especially since I turn eighteen in less than a week," Veronica remarked.

"But what do you want? You still aren't saying," Wallace said, calling her on her evasiveness.

"I want Logan," she admitted. "Things have been going great with us this summer. Ever since I was shot, he's really stepped up and done everything I've asked. He wants things to work between us. I know that."

"So work through this and then go out and celebrate with your honey when you feel better," Wallace said as if it was a given.

Veronica laughed. Wallace always managed to remind her what a complete guy he was. "I've missed you," she said.

"You have Weevil now," Wallace said a bit snidely.

"Weevil could never replace you," Veronica assured him. She could never imagine talking to Weevil like she could Wallace. Then she grinned. "Guess who's going to be dating Weevil very soon?"

Wallace perked up at the new, less gloomy gossip. "Who?" he asked.

"Mac," Veronica said happily.

"Mac? Mac and Weevil?" Wallace asked in disbelief.

"That surprises you?" Veronica asked.

"Not as much as you and Logan, but yeah, it kind of does," Wallace admitted. "I wouldn't have thought Mac would be his type."

Veronica became instantly protective and protested, "There's nothing wrong with Mac! She's brilliant, quirky, loyal, pretty, and dependable. Not to mention very clever and devious when she wants to be."

"Hey, I wasn't trying to dis Mac. I just thought Weevil preferred a different type," Wallace said giving her a meaningful glance.

"I don't know what Weevil's type is, but I know that ever since he kissed Mac during spin the bottle, he's had his eyes on her," Veronica said.

"I thought he preferred short, pesky blondes," Wallace said with a grin since she wasn't getting his hint.

"You and Logan both," Veronica replied rolling her eyes. "But, _like always_ , you're both wrong!"

Wallace snickered. "You and your crazy, complicated love life. Glad it's not mine," he said.

"Speaking of love life, how's yours? You seeing a lot of Hannah?" Veronica asked with a raise of her eyebrow.

"We've went out a few times. She's really sweet. And hot," Wallace said with a satisfied grin.

"And young," Veronica emphasized. "Don't go breaking the poor girl's heart!"

"Hey, don't hate the player. Hate the game!" Wallace bragged. His boasting was interrupted by the ring of his phone. He looked down and checked his text message. "Mom wants to know if I want to go to the beach with her and Darrel. Do you want to go?"

Veronica decided that there were worse ways to spend her Saturday and said yes. "Back-Up will love having Darrel to play chase with," she said, giving the dog a fond look. He wagged his tail excitedly. "I'll call Dad and tell him to pick us all up a lunch and meet us there."

"Great!" Wallace said and waited while she went to change and call her dad.

***** _*The Next Day*_ *****

Mac found herself having lunch for the second time with Weevil and his family. His grandmother seemed overjoyed to have another mouth to feed. Weevil must have told her about her eating habits because she made the best vegetarian lasagna Mac had ever tasted.

"This is so good!" Mac said blissfully. "Please give me the recipe, so I can give it to my mom."

Lettie beamed at her. "Of course! I will get it!" she replied, getting up.

"I didn't mean now," Mac said in embarrassment.

"No problem," Lettie said and left to get the recipe.

Mac gave Weevil a guilty look. He laughed. "Don't worry. She loves giving people recipes," Weevil assured her.

"Yeah, but I didn't mean for her to get up in the middle of lunch," Mac said.

"Since I've been here, I've rarely seen her stay seated for an entire meal," Logan added. "She's always doing like twenty things at any given time. Sometimes I feel like a lazy slug around her."

"What do you mean sometimes? Don't you mean _all_ the time?" Weevil said with a smirk.

Mac smiled at the obvious familiarity that had grown between Weevil and Logan. She was no longer surprised that Logan was at home at the Navarro's. Lettie treated him like one of the family, and he seemed to blossom under the attention and affection. She came back into the kitchen with a pie.

Logan's eyes lit up. "Is that coconut cream?" he asked eagerly.

"Yes. I made two. I thought your sweet girlfriend was going to come for lunch, too," Lettie said, a questioning note in her voice.

"Her dad hates me right now, and she's staying home until his killing instinct passes," Logan said glumly, his eagerness at pie quickly dying as he thought of the distance building between him and Veronica.

Lettie didn't seem perturbed by this news. "It is a daughter's duty to obey her father. Fathers are protective of their daughters. I cannot imagine Mr. Mars hating you. You are such a good boy," Lettie said fondly.

Weevil snickered at his grandmother's obvious blindness when it came to the people she loved. Her boys could never do any wrong. "Good at pissing people off," Weevil said grinning.

Logan gave him a dirty look, and Lettie whacked him on the back of the head. "Watch your language, Eli!" she scolded, causing Logan's face to smile once again.

Jordan and Tony laughed. "Yeah, Eli, watch your mouth!" Jordan mimicked.

Lettie cut Jordan a very tiny piece of pie, causing him to instantly complain. "Boys who get an F on their spelling tests are lucky they get any pie at all. Eat that. No complaining. Then go into your room and study your spelling," she informed him in a tone that brook no argument.

Logan loved dinner time at Weevil's. It was so normal. So _Leave it to Beaver_ like. There had been very few dinners like this at his house growing up. Dinner at the Kanes had never been much better because Lilly had always been provoking one parent or the other. He took a bite of the pie, savoring it. He used to live on take-out. Now he rarely went out or ordered in. He looked up at Lettie warily as he broached a sore subject. "It's my turn to go grocery shopping," Logan announced. "And before you protest, I won't take no for an answer. You let me live here. You refuse to take my money. You have already saved me a few hundred dollars that I'd normally spend eating out. I know you are uncomfortable with it, but I am uncomfortable living here and adding expenses to you. I am paying for this month's groceries. It's only fair."

Lettie opened her mouth to argue when Weevil stepped in. "He's right, Grandma. He can afford it. Make a list, and I'll go with him and make sure he gets all the brands you like," Weevil said.

Lettie sighed in resignation but nodded without arguing. Then she got up to clear the table. Mac got up to help her. She gave Mac an offended look. "You are a guest. You do not clear the table!" she insisted.

Logan jumped up. "Since I'm not a guest, I'll help," he said meaningfully. Lettie smiled and then ordered Jordan to his room. Tony asked to play Logan's Wii. Logan gave permission, and Tony happily jumped from the table.

"Thanks for inviting me over, Eli. This is exactly what I needed. Normal," Mac said.

"I'm glad you're here," Weevil said, giving her a warm smiled that caused her heart to race.

She looked down at the pie. Mac wasn't quite sure how to deal with the new feelings he brought out in her. "So I told my parents what happened Friday night," she shared.

"You did?" Weevil asked in surprise.

"Didn't you tell your grandmother?" Mac asked.

"Well, I told her Dick's brother tried to kill himself and the police came and everyone went home. I didn't go into details," Weevil said.

"Well, my dad and I are really close. He could tell I was upset yesterday, so the entire story came spilling out," Mac said.

Logan came in and grabbed the rest of the plates in silence.

"What did he say?" Weevil asked.

"Mom freaked out a bit that I had been spending time with a boy that was capable of such violence," Mac shared.

Logan couldn't resist adding, "I bet Weevil's looking like a prize now!"

"Screw you!" Weevil said in annoyance.

"Eli, I can hear you!" his grandmother yelled from the other room, causing him to flush in guilt and Mac and Logan to laugh.

"I adore that woman!" Logan said happily as he carried the rest of the dishes into the kitchen.

"Logan seems at home here," Mac observed. Weevil shrugged. "Who would've thought?"

"Not me, that's for sure," Weevil said. "He's mellowed and removed that superior stick he kept stuck up his ass." Weevil practically whispered the word "ass", so his grandmother wouldn't hear.

Mac grinned. "I guess you found out that his silver spoon wasn't quite so polished," Mac said.

"That's an understatement!" Weevil said. "If you had seen the scars on his back, you'd understand that living with his father had to have been a nightmare."

"And no one knew," Mac said sadly. "No one ever knows what's really going on in a family."

"That's bull," Weevil replied. "People know. There's always signs, but no one wants to get involved. I'm sure that Duncan and Lilly knew. You can't hide stuff like that from your closest friends. Those that do, don't have close friends. Like Cassidy. He kept most people at a distance, right?"

Mac nodded, thoughtful. "You think Duncan and Lilly knew that Logan's dad was hurting him and did nothing? Lilly even slept with that monster," Mac said, a bit horrified.

"Lilly probably liked him more because he was dangerous. She liked to live on the edge," Weevil said.

"And it killed her," Mac said softly. Weevil looked sad but nodded. "I'm not anything like her, you know."

Weevil smiled. "I know," he said.

"I'm not like Veronica either," she said quietly. A part of her couldn't believe he was really interested in her because Mac was nothing like either girls she knew he liked.

"You have more in common with V than you think," Weevil said.

Mac looked surprised. "How?" she asked.

"Weren't you the one who did that purity test and conned the 09ers into dishing out their unearned money?" Weevil asked with a grin. "And then you posted their scores and turned the entire school in chaos. Lilly would've loved that."

Mac flushed in embarrassment, not sure how she felt about him comparing her to Veronica or Lilly. "I needed a new car," she said simply.

Weevil laughed. Lettie and Logan came back, and when his grandmother asked why he was laughing, he told her about Mac's cleverness.

Mac squirmed uncomfortably, convinced that Lettie would think she was awful. However, Weevil knew his grandmother better than she did. Lettie had worked most of her life for the 09ers, unappreciated and often ignored. She admired anyone that could manage to get the better of them without actually hurting anyone. "You are very clever. Your parents must be proud," Lettie said.

Mac's eyes widened. "I'd never tell my parents about that!" she said. "My mom would die!"

"So how did your parents think you afforded that new car?" Logan asked curiously.

"I told them I took the money from the websites I designed and invested in the stock market. They didn't even question it. They're used to not understanding me," Mac said.

Lettie looked shocked. "You lied to your momma?" she asked in disapproval.

"Grandma, you know a small lie is better sometimes if it keeps the peace. Like when I told you last week I liked that dress you wore to Mass," Weevil said, deftly turning the attention away from Mac.

"You didn't like it?" Lettie asked in surprise.

"Grandma, it was orange. Bright orange," Weevil said with a naughty grin.

"And you had a matching hat," Logan added, trying not to laugh.

"You boys are bad!" Lettie said, getting up from the table. "I'm going to go take a nap. Keep an eye on your brothers. No games or computer for Jordan until he can spell all those words correctly." She turned to Mac. "Come anytime, Cindy. You are always welcome. These boys need more women around." With a final disapproving sniff, she left.

Logan and Weevil burst out laughing as soon as she left. Mac grinned ruefully. "I feel like such a sinner!" she said.

"I know what you mean. Nothing pains me more than her disapproval," Weevil said.

"She cared more about my white lie than scamming the entire school," Mac said in wonder.

"Well, you had to know that the woman who raised this hoodlum had to have some messed up morals somewhere," Logan teased, no malice in his words.

"You're just jealous 'cause you don't have a grandmother," Weevil said.

"True," Logan said without offense.

"So how's Veronica?" Mac asked. "I called her yesterday, but she didn't call me back. Just sent a text."

Logan shrugged and frowned. "She spent yesterday with Wallace and Keith. They went to the beach with Wallace's mom and brother," Logan said. "I wasn't invited. Today's she's working at the Hut."

"It's going to take Keith a while to get over this, Logan. He just found out that his daughter was drugged and assaulted over a year ago. He's the last to know," Mac said.

"Like my grandmother says, 'Don't do the crime if you can't do the time.' You were an ass. You are indirectly responsible for what happened to V. We all know it," Weevil reminded him.

Logan gave him an unhappy look. "Thanks for your support, dude," he said.

"Look, I know you love Veronica, and it has to be killing you knowing she was hurt like that by your friends. But you have to know that you turned the school against her. You made her a target. I know from experience with my boys that if you don't clearly spell out how far you want to take things, someone will always take the initiative and cross the line," Weevil said. "But you didn't. You just made it open season on her. You can't be overly surprised that someone hurt her like that."

Mac wanted to defend Logan because she felt so sorry for him. He looked miserable. However, she didn't know what to say. Finally, she said, "You didn't rape her anymore than Dick did. Cassidy is the one that crossed the line. Cassidy hurt her. You and Dick both need to take responsibility for your part and learn from it. But there's no point in hating yourself. You made a mistake—one that your regret. I know Veronica knows that. She doesn't blame you."

"It just never occurred to me that I needed to say, 'Guys, don't rape her!' I didn't know any of them were capable of doing something like that," Logan said in disgust.

"But it's okay to drug your girlfriend or your best friend?" Mac asked pointedly. The 09ers' screwed up morality really annoyed her sometimes. Dick thought nothing was wrong with drugging Madison as long as he took it, too.

Logan looked guilty and couldn't meet her eyes. "I know. I just didn't think. I.." he stopped and blew out a frustrated breath. "I guess being allowed to do pretty much whatever you want screws with your sense of morality. I know better now." He got up from the table, not wanting to discuss it further.

Mac felt guilty. "I didn't mean to upset him," she said to Weevil.

"You didn't upset him. He's already upset and will be until this blows over. He's gotta forgive himself before he can move on," Weevil said. He got up. "Would you like to go to my room? Or we can take a walk."

Mac decided that being alone in a bedroom wasn't something she was ready for. The last time in her room it'd gotten a bit heated. "A walk would be nice," she said.

Weevil nodded in understanding. He knew she needed time. She still felt guilty over Cassidy, and he didn't want her to regret anything between them. He held out his hand. When she easily took it, he smiled in satisfaction. This was enough. For now.

*** _**Monday Morning_ ******

Dick and his dad had to fend off two reporters that were staked outside of their house. Word of Cassidy's attempted suicide had gotten out. However, the full story had yet to make the rounds of Neptune's grapevine. Dick knew it was only a matter of time before the full story got out. He dreaded that happening.

They were going to see Cassidy before meeting with the attorney. "Is the attorney going to meet us at the hospital?" Dick asked his dad.

"Yes, he wants to meet Cassidy. He's going to do everything possible to keep your brother out of jail," Dick Sr. said grimly. "You letting the cops take his computer won't help matters."

"How could I stop them? They had a warrant!" Dick protested.

"You should've known they were coming for it. The former Sheriff's daughter was there," Dick Sr. said in annoyance. "You've broken enough shit over the years. Couldn't you manage to drop it or something?"

It hadn't even occurred to Dick to do such a thing. Now he realized that his dad had a point. He knew firsthand how damning the information on the computer was.

"Now thanks to you and your brother, Kendall and I didn't get married, and I had to come home and deal with all this!" his dad complained.

"Sorry to put a cramp in your social life, Dad," Dick said sourly.

His dad had come home Saturday right after the cleaning service Dick hired had cleared away all remains of the party. Both Logan and Mac had called to check on him, but Dick didn't answer the phone. He didn't want to talk to anyone, dreading his father's return.

However, Dick's dad had listened to Dick's tale about all that he'd discovered about Cassidy without saying much. Dick Sr.'s eyes had narrowed a bit when Dick revealed that abuse at Woody Goodman's hands, but he didn't comment. Instead, he had called Dick's mom. Dick went by the study once during the call and could hear his mom yelling through the phone.

"Is Mom coming home?" Dick asked as they arrived at the hospital.

His dad gave a bitter laugh. "Like your mother's going to take time away from that a**hole she's married to and be a real mother," he said. "As far as she's concerned, this is my fault, so I gotta deal with it."

"None of us have been good to Beaver. I mean Cassidy. You should've read some of the things he wrote in his diary. He hates us," Dick shared glumly.

"All kids hate their families at one time or another. He'll get over it," his dad said dismissively.

They rode the elevator to the floor Cassidy was on. Dick's dad talked to a nurse who led them to a room with a table and some chairs. "Your son will be here shortly," the nurse said.

A few minutes later, a pale, dejected looking Cassidy came through the door. Dick got up excitedly and gave his brother a hug. "How's the food? Are they giving you electric shock therapy yet?" Dick asked with a grin.

"Not yet," Cassidy said. He looked warily at his dad. His dad didn't get up and hug him. He just gestured to the chair across from him.

"How are you feeling?" Dick Sr. asked Cassidy.

"Okay," Cassidy said.

"It's never so bad that you need to die to make it better. I hope you know that. My sons aren't cowards. You're going to get through this," Dick Sr. said firmly.

Both boys looked surprised at their dad's words. Cassidy expected ridicule or anger, but his dad didn't seem to be angry. In fact, his dad was keeping his face void of most expression. "I'm sorry," Cassidy said.

"We're all sorry, but don't worry. No son of mine is going to spend any time in jail. You might have to stay in the nut house for a while. It's better than juvvie or jail. My attorney had an early court appearance with the D.A. He should be here soon," Dick Sr. said.

"What's going to happen?" Cassidy asked.

"You'll go before the judge one day this week. Our attorney should have the information," his dad said. His phone rang. "It's him now." He got up and went out of the room to take the call.

Dick looked at Cassidy. "Are you really okay?" Dick asked.

"I guess," Cassidy said with a shrug.

Dick finally said what he'd been wanting to say ever since he realized how bad things were with his brother. "I'm really sorry, dude. I've been a crappy brother. I just didn't realize. I didn't mean any harm. I'm really, really sorry," Dick said sincerely. "I hate that I didn't see what you were going through. I'm just really glad you didn't die."

Cassidy blinked in surprise at the tears in his brother's eyes. Dick really meant it. "I didn't really want to die. I just didn't want to face everyone when they found out what I did to Veronica, and I didn't think you and Dad would understand about Woody. I thought you'd be disgusted and hate me," Cassidy admitted. He had trouble looking at his brother.

"What happened to Ronnie was just as much my fault as yours. You were still a kid, and I told you to do it. I don't think my not thinking you'd do it is really much of an excuse. And I'll tell a judge that, too. Not to mention, Ronnie was coming on to everyone at the party. No one knew she'd be roofied. I surely didn't," Dick said.

Before they could talk further, their dad reappeared. "Our attorney can't meet us here. He said he'd see you Wednesday morning before your arraignment. The D.A. is charging you for the rape of Veronica Mars and plans to create acts of terrorism or something like that," Dick Sr. announced. "He arranged for you to stay here instead of getting transferred to jail."

"What? Terrorism?" Dick asked in outrage. "How can that be?"

"Well, I guess just having plans to make a bomb and cause harm to classmates is a serious felony," their dad explained. "Our attorney is confident we'll be able to get it reduced. He tried to get a gag order on the case since Cassidy is a minor but the judge denied it," Dick Sr. said.

"What's a gag order?" Dick asked.

"So that the details aren't made so public. Looks like the D.A. is filing charges today, so the word's going to get out," Dick Sr. said grimly.

"This is going to suck," Dick said.

"Well, I guess being in here isn't so bad after all," Cassidy said. At least he wouldn’t have to face nosey reporters in here.

A nurse came in. "It's time for group. You guys can come back during visiting hours this afternoon," she said.

"I'll be back, dude," Dick said. "Would you like me to bring Mac?"

Cassidy shook his head. "No. I don't want her to see me in here. It's bad enough she saw me lose it like I did on my birthday," he said. "She probably won't want to come anyway."

Dick started to argue, but Cassidy was led away before he could.

"Who's Mac?" Dick Sr. asked.

"Dude, do you not pay any attention at all? Mac's the girl who's been hanging out our house. She and Cassidy have been dating," Dick said. He saw no point in explaining about Weevil. That pissed Dick off too much to even think about.

"A girl? Really? That's good. At least he's not completely ruined," his dad replied.

Dick looked incredulously at his father. He couldn't remember being so angry at his father. "Do you even _care_ what happened to him? He was raped repeatedly by that pervert coach when he was like ten! Do you get that? You and Mom didn't even notice! You're the parents; it's your job to protect us. Not encourage me to be mean to my own brother! This is your fault! Every bit of it! If my brother goes to jail or doesn't recover from this, I'll never forgive you!" Dick yelled. "For once, make your money good for something." With one last look of loathing, Dick left the room, not wanting to go anywhere with his dad.

Dick Sr. watched his son leave; his son's harsh words ringing in his ears. Dick was right about one thing. It was his job to protect his sons, and he had failed. Woody Goodman wasn't going to get away with this. Dick Sr. didn't care who he was in this city. The sick bastard was going to pay.

***** _Java Hut*_ ****

Logan couldn't go another day without seeing Veronica. He hadn't got to see her or hold her since Friday night, and he was miserable. He knew it was pathetic that he couldn't go more than two days without her, but he didn't care. Not only did he miss her like crazy, he feared she'd let her dad come between them. Logan knew how much her dad meant to her. He didn't want to come between them, but he also didn't want Keith to turn her against him. Or guilt her into breaking up with him.

The breakfast rush was over and lunch hadn't started when Logan entered Veronica's work. He timed it, so she'd have time to visit. Veronica smiled when she saw him. She was behind the register and moved to give him a hug in greeting. Logan gave her a tight hug, relieved that she was welcoming him. Then she gave him a light kiss. "I missed you," she said, causing him to smile happily.

"Not as much as I missed you," he said.

Veronica turned to another server. "I'm taking my ten-minute break," she told the girl, who nodded. Veronica took Logan's hand and led him to a quiet table in the corner. "I'm sorry," she said as they sat down. "I didn't want to give Dad anymore reason to be upset with me. Reminding him that you're my boyfriend wouldn't make him feel anymore."

"But I am your boyfriend, right?" Logan couldn't help asking.

Veronica squeezed his hand in reassurance. "The only one I got. The only one I want," she said sincerely.

"You're not dumping me?" he asked.

"Logan, if I wanted to break up with you, I would never do what Duncan did to me. I'd actually respect you enough to talk to you," Veronica informed him. "Dad just needs time to come to terms with all that's happened. He'll come around."

"You think so?" he asked.

She nodded. "Eventually. As long as you don't give him any reason to doubt that I'm safe with you. You just have to show him my welfare is just as important to you as it is to him," she said.

"It is. I hope you know that," Logan said.

"I know it is," she said. She leaned closer to kiss him. Mindful of the fact that they were at her work, she didn't let the kiss get out of hand.

Logan leaned his forehead against hers and looked at her. "God, I've missed kissing you!" he exclaimed reverently.

She grinned. "Becoming addicted, huh?" she teased.

"You have no idea!" he replied. "So your big day's on Thursday. Can I take you out Friday to celebrate? It's not everyday I get to date an older woman!"

"By two months! I'm not sure that counts!" she replied. "But yes, you can take me out. Dad and I will be having dinner out Thursday with the Fennels."

"Let me guess: Luigi's?" Logan asked.

"Where else?" she replied airily.

"We won't be going there Friday. I have something else in mind," Logan said.

"Don't plan anything out of town. Dad won't like it," Veronica said.

"We'll stay local. Don't worry," Logan said. Then he looked at his watch. "Five more minutes, so we better make them count."

Veronica grinned and leaned over to kiss him again.

***** _Mac's House_ *****

Dick had jumped in a cab in front of the hospital. He hadn't really known where he wanted to go, just wanting to escape his father's presence. He couldn't see going over to see Logan at Weevil's. He had a lot of friends, but he realized the only friend he had that he could really talk to or wanted to talk about any of this was Mac. He didn't know her exact address, but he gave the taxi driver directions to her house. When the cab stopped in front of her house, he threw some bills at the driver and got out. Hopefully, Mac would take him back home.

Mac was in her room reading when her mom knocked and opened her door. "Honey, your friend's here to see you," she said with a smile. She loved that her quiet, quirky daughter was finally getting noticed.

Mac sat up in surprise. She wasn't expecting anyone. "Who is it?" she asked. Then she smiled when she saw Dick. "Hey, Dick. Come on in."

Mac's mom made a point of leaving the door open, but Dick was oblivious and shut it. "Sorry to drop in, but I needed to talk to someone, and you were the only one I could think of," Dick said. He looked around her room curiously. "You must like books."

She indicated the book she had just put down. "I love to read. What's up? Is everything okay?" she asked in concern.

"No! Of course not! Dad and I just went and saw Cassidy at the hospital. The D.A. is filing charges against Cass, and my dad is a bastard!" Dick exclaimed as he flopped down on the foot of her bed.

"I'm really sorry, Dick," Mac said sympathetically. "How's your brother doing?"

"Okay. He told me he didn't want to die, so that's good I guess," Dick shared. "I told him I was sorry for being such a crappy brother."

"That's good. He needs to know people still care about him and that he can find forgiveness," Mac said.

"Do you think Ronnie will forgive him?" Dick asked.

"I think Veronica has a really big heart. She forgave Logan for a lot," Mac said. "It's got to mean something that he surrendered and is going to face up to what he did."

"I told Cassidy I'd tell the judge it was my fault. I'm the one who put him in the room with Veronica and told him to do it," Dick shared.

"Do you believe that? Do you think it was your fault?" Mac asked.

"More than it was his. He was all screwed up, and I didn't know. I'm such an idiot! And none of us knew she was drugged. She was all over several guys at the party. She even kissed me!" Dick said.

Mac knew things were never black and white. She was just glad Dick was at least willing to concede he carried some of the blame. "I think there's a lot of blame to go around, Dick. There was a lot of bad decisions made that night. What is your dad saying about all this? Was he at least kind to Cassidy?"

Dick scoffed. "Kind? My dad? Are you kidding? Well, I guess he wasn't mean. He told Cassidy that nothing was ever so bad that he needed to die over it. He's going to try and make sure Cassidy doesn't get sent to juvvie or jail. I told Dad that if he didn't save Cassidy, I'd never forgive him. Dad's the reason I was ever mean to Cassidy in the first place. Dad always thought it was funny, and I guess I liked having my dad's approval. God, I really hate myself," Dick admitted, his misery plain to see.

Mac moved until she was sitting next to him on the bed. She put her arm around his waist. "It's going to be okay, Dick. Cassidy is going to get help. You'll get through this. You both will," Mac said soothingly.

However, Dick just didn't believe it, and for the first time in his life, he cried in front of a woman that wasn't his mother.

***** _Chapter End*****_


	39. Veronica Turns Eighteen

_******Monday Night******_

Mac was on her laptop waiting for Weevil's nightly call when her mom came into her room.

"Hey, sweetie. I'm heading to bed. Don't stay up too late," her mom advised.

"I won't. I'm just waiting to say goodnight to Eli," she replied, looking up from her laptop.

Her mother smiled. "You seem to really like him," her mom observed.

"Yeah, well..uh..I'm not sure what to call us, but he makes me feel.." her voice trailed off. Mac was not used to having these kinds of conversations with her mom.

Natalie was delighted that her too shy and self-contained daughter was finally revealing something personal. This was why Natalie became a mother—to have a daughter to share confidences with. She moved to sit on the edge of her daughter's bed. "Nervous? Excited? Does he give you butterflies?" Natalie asked eagerly.

Mac gave her mom a bemused smile. "Something like that. He's really sweet to me. I know he's a bit rough looking, but he's not like that with me. He makes me feel good about myself," Mac confessed.

"All the best ones do," Natalie replied. "You know after your too exciting weekend, your Dad and I were thinking we should get to know your new friend."

Mac frowned in confusion. "Cassidy?" she asked.

"No, Eli. I'm a bit relieved that you're not going to be spending time over at the Casablancas. Dick seems very nice, though. But Eli's the one you're dating, right?" her mother asked.

"Yes, but I'm still friends with Cassidy, you know," Mac said.

"I know. You have such a good heart. The poor kid needs more friends like you," Natalie said fondly. "But you're starting to date a guy that has a bit of a notorious reputation. Your Dad and I would feel better if we got to know him better."

"Eli's not in a gang anymore," Mac said quickly.

"It's the 'anymore' that has us a bit anxious," Natalie replied. "Now you've always been the most level-headed and sensible member of our family. We trust your judgment, sweetie. But we still want to be apart of these new changes in your life. Sometimes when girls start dating, they get so wrapped up in it that they drift away from their families."

"That's not going to happen," Mac assured her mother. "I'm never going to be one of those girls."

"I know, but it'd be nice to get to know your young man. Will you see if he can come to dinner this weekend? Sunday?" her mom suggested.

"Sure. I'll ask him," Mac said.

Her mother got up. "Find out what his favorite dish is, and I'll make it," she said excitedly. She left Mac's room already occupied with ideas for the dinner even though it was six days away.

Mac shook her head. Then she laughed as a sudden thought occurred to her. Now she realized why she was so comfortable with Dick. He reminded her of her mother. They both had this childlike innocence and zest for life. Both were so different from her. However, they both did feel things deeply. Dick was used to ignoring the more serious sides of life, but what was happening with his brother was forcing him out of his comfort zone. Mac thought about the scene earlier in the day with him. He had surprised her when he had come to see her unexpectedly. But his breakdown had caught her off guard. However, she was happy to see that he really cared. Seeing a guy cry, though, wasn't something she'd seen much. Her dad cried when his mom died, but Mac was about 8 at the time. He hadn't cried in front of her since. Ryan whined a lot, but he was a kid. It wasn't the same thing. Mac couldn't imagine Weevil crying about anything—he was so strong.

Just thinking about Weevil made her insides clench. As if conjuring him, her phone rang. Mac smiled as she reached to answer it. "Hey," she said.

"Hey yourself," Weevil said, smiling into his phone.

"How was your day?" Mac asked.

"Good. Logan quit moping. He finally got to see V," Weevil shared.

Mac laughed. "Good for him," Mac said.

"What about you? Anything exciting happen today?" Weevil asked.

"A few things. Mom just came into my room and told me to ask you if you wanted to come to dinner this weekend? On Sunday," Mac inquired.

"Do _you_ want me to come to your house for dinner?" Weevil asked.

"If you want to," Mac said.

"I can tell you're excited about the idea," Weevil said dryly.

"Of course! I mean I would like to see you, but you know how parents can be. I hope they won't be too embarrassing," Mac said.

"I've met your parents. They're cool. Don't worry. I'll even cover up my tattoos!" Weevil joked.

"You know you don't have to do that," Mac said. "I like you the way you are. You don't care that I like to streak my hair unnatural colors. Why should I care that you like to tattoo your body? It's how you express yourself. I understand you dressing up the first time and covering them, but I really don't want you to do that."

Weevil chuckled. "Thanks, but I know I have a lot of low expectations to live down. Those are expectations I deserve. I get it, so it's okay," Weevil said.

"I want my parents to know who you really are. They'll like you once they know you. They're good people," she said.

"I know they are. They raised you," Weevil replied. Then he changed the subject by saying, "Logan told me that they filed charges against Cassidy."

"Yeah, Dick came by this morning. He was really upset," Mac said.

"Dick came to your house? Why?" Weevil asked, not liking the idea at all.

"I was a bit surprised, but I guess he needed someone to talk to. It's not like he can talk to his dad," Mac said.

"But why does he have to talk to you?" Weevil said, an edge to his voice.

Mac could tell he didn't like the idea of Dick confiding in her. "We're friends, Weevil. I want to be there for my friends, and he needs me right now," Mac said.

Weevil was silent. He didn't know what to say. He knew he had no right to tell her anything, but it still bugged the hell out of him.

"Are you mad?" Mac finally asked when the silence stretched on too long.

"No," Weevil said. "I just don't like the idea of Dick hanging out with you. I'm sorry."

"Don't be sorry. I want you to be honest. You know I don't have a lot of friends and very few that ever come over my house. You and Veronica are really the only two who have even seen my room until now, so I'm not sure you have anything to worry about," Mac assured him.

Weevil wasn't assured. Instead, he zeroed in on what she revealed. "Dick was alone with you in your room?" he asked, his tone a bit harsh.

Mac mentally winced as she realized now that she probably should've left out that detail. "Eli, I really wish you wouldn't be upset over this. My mom said I had a visitor and suddenly Dick was behind her. She left the door open. He stayed about a half hour," Mac said. She saw no reason to mention that Dick had shut the door and had literally cried on her shoulders.

"I understand you're a good person that could never turn away someone that needed you," Weevil replied.

"I'm glad you understand," Mac said in relief.

"But I want you to understand that I will never be okay with the girl I'm dating spending time alone in a room with another guy," Weevil flatly stated.

"I see," Mac said, unprepared to address this topic.

"Would you like me having one-on-one time with another girl? And I'm not talking about Veronica. Someone that is single and available. Would you like knowing I spent intimate time with another girl—one that was richer than you, more popular, and attractive?" Weevil asked pointedly.

Mac thought about it a moment. The idea didn't sit well with her at all. She knew Weevil was much more experienced than her, and if she knew he had another girl in his room, it would definitely make her wonder. It would bother her. "No. I probably wouldn't," she admitted. "I'm sorry, Weevil. This is all new to me, and I was caught by surprise. Next time he comes over, I'll make sure we go outside and talk on the porch or at the kitchen table."

Although Weevil was happy to have her concession, he still didn't like the fact that Mac planned on spending more time with Dick. However, he knew it was too early in their relationship to be so possessive. "Thanks, I appreciate it," was all he said.

They talked a few more minutes and then said goodnight. When Weevil got off the phone, he immediately left his room to hunt up Logan.

Logan looked up from his laptop when he heard a knock on his door. "Come in," Logan said.

"So I just got off the phone with Mac, and she told me that Dick was over at her place this morning," Weevil shared, clearly agitated at the news.

"And?" Logan asked, expecting him to add more.

"And why? Why is Dick sniffing around Mac? Does he have a thing for her?" Weevil demanded to know.

Logan's eyes widened a bit at the question. "Uh, not to my knowledge. Dick's pretty obvious when he likes a girl. I mean I know he likes Mac, but I don't think he wants to get into he pants. And with Dick, that's usually what it means when he likes a girl," Logan said. He watched Weevil's expression get even darker at his words.

"He better not be wanting to get in her pants!" Weevil exclaimed angrily. "He better stay the hell away from her!"

Logan couldn't help but grin. He'd never seen Weevil so worked up about a girl. It was highly entertaining to watch. "Weevil, if I didn't know any better, I'd think you were jealous!" Logan proclaimed with a cheeky grin.

"F*** you!" Weevil replied, giving Logan a sour look. "How would you like it if Duncan Kane was spending time alone with Veronica in her room?"

Logan lost his grin and frowned at the thought.

"That's what I thought!" Weevil replied with a smug smile. "I know Mac only sees Dick as a friend, but sometimes things can start out that way and turn into something more."

"That's how it happened with Veronica and me," Logan said. "She was helping me make sure that my mom was really dead, and we started spending time together. She was there for me when I was really messed up."

Weevil looked alarmed. "Mac's trying to be there for Dick. She says he needs her," Weevil said.

Logan understood his worry. "Well, Dick's one of my best friends, and Mac is good for him. She is the first female friend he's ever had. And take it from me. Girls don't like being told who they can and can't be friends with. You think I've ever been dumb enough to tell Veronica not to be friends with you?" Logan asked.

"She'd tell you to go to hell," Weevil said, a half smile on his face.

"Exactly! Now Mac would never be so blunt, but I doubt she'd like you trying to control who she spends time with. Girls always see it as a sign of distrust when you get upset over those things," Logan said.

Weevil rolled his eyes. "It's not her I don't trust!" he said.

"That's what I always said, too!" Logan replied, grinning.

Weevil looked glum but didn't say anything. Logan felt sorry for him and added, "Don't worry so much. Dick isn't exactly known for wooing quality women, and Mac is definitely quality. If he develops feelings for her, Mac will know. She'll make it clear to him how things stand. It's best if it comes from her and not you anyway. I know you always enjoyed pissing me off. Dick isn't quite so malevolent, but he may decide to annoy you if he knew you were jealous."

"I'm _not_ jealous!" Weevil insisted. "I just don't want her around either of the Casablancas. She did enough already. It upsets her that her investigation led to Cassidy's arrest. Her misplaced guilt could cause her to stay too involved with both of them."

"I'll mention something to Veronica. She's good at leading a person down the garden path. I'm sure she can keep an eye on Mac," Logan offered.

Weevil felt relieved at the suggestion. "Thanks. I owe you one," Weevil said.

"No, dude, you don't. It'll be a long time before I can repay the debt I owe you. You saved my life and helped keep me out of jail," Logan reminded him.

Weevil nodded in understanding. Sometimes, he still couldn't believe how much his life had changed over the course of one summer.

_*****Wednesday Morning*****_

Keith was sitting in the back of the courtroom waiting for Cassidy's turn in front of the judge. He had been seething the past five days. Learning that his beloved daughter had been so mistreated had destroyed his foundation. What kind of father was he that he never knew? He had not known how bad things had gotten for his daughter after Lilly died. He was supposed to be a detective, an expert in human behavior. Yet his all too clever daughter had managed to keep the most traumatic event of her life from him. Keith had to fight his own anger toward Veronica because she had been through enough. He knew that. However, he wanted to yell. He wanted to demand she stay far away from all those 09ers, especially Logan Echolls. His compassionate daughter looked at Logan with stars in her eyes, but Keith knew that sometimes blood tells. He'd seen it happen too many times. Children inevitably ended up like their parents. Early abuse often manifested in the children, regardless of whether the children wanted to be like their parents. Logan may hate his father. He may actually love Veronica. Nevertheless, Keith would never be convinced that he was the best choice or the safest choice for his daughter. Logan was too angry. Too volatile. Too unpredictable. Keith had to find a way to make Veronica see that.

The judge called Cassidy's name. Cassidy's attorney and Cassidy stood. Keith wasn't surprised to see Dick Sr. and his namesake sitting behind Cassidy up in front of the courtroom. Fathers had to stand by their children, no matter what. Keith listened as the D.A. shared the evidence against Cassidy. The assistant D.A. was a decent guy. Keith knew that he'd want to help Cassidy.

"There is not any physical evidence that Mr. Casablancas actually intended to build incendiary devices?" the judge asked Stevens, the Assistant District Attorney.

"No bombs or materials to make bombs were acquired," Stevens admitted.

"Then why are we trying to charge this young man?" the judge asked.

"He admitted his plans in a journal," Stevens replied.

"If a person was charged with everything they daydreamed about, I'd never get to go home at night," the judge responded. "The court does not recognize those charges and orders them dismissed."

Stevens looked resigned and not overly surprised at the judge’s decree. "The charge of rape has been filed also against Mr. Casablancas," Stevens said.

"The victim?" the judge asked.

"Veronica Mars," Stevens replied.

Judge Roberts knew Keith Mars quite well, so Keith was not surprised to see the judge's gaze zero in on his presence in the back. Their eyes met a moment. The judge gave him a brief nod, keeping his expression impartial. However, Keith knew Roberts was a father of two daughters. These charges would not be so easily brushed away.

"How do you plead?" the judge asked Cassidy.

Cassidy had argued vehemently with his dad and his attorney over this. They insisted the charges could not be proven. However, Cassidy just wanted it to be over. He didn't want a trial. His humiliation was already more than he could bare. His dirty little secret was out. Yesterday, Lamb had arrested Woody Goodman for several charges of sexual abuse against minors. Cassidy's attorney had told them that other boys were already starting to come forward, so the charges would continue to grow. They had even delayed Goodman's arraignment until the D.A. was finished taking all the testimonies. Cassidy's only comfort was knowing that his name would end up being one of many of the victims. Hopefully, the attention on him would be minor.

Cassidy moved to stand next to his attorney. In a clear voice, he replied, "Guilty, Your Honor."

The judge looked at him carefully. "You understand what that means?" the judge asked.

"Yes, Your Honor," Cassidy said.

The judge looked at Stevens. Stevens shared Cassidy's attempted suicide and revelation of his abuse at the hands of the recently charged Woody Goodman. Then he shared his agreement with Cassidy's attorney that Cassidy be referred to a sanitarium for a thirty-day full psychological evaluation and treatment before determining what deal would be made that would determine Cassidy's future.

The judge agreed, and Cassidy was led away without handcuffs after his brother spoke a few moments with him. Keith could not help but notice the lack of warmth Dick Sr. showed his obviously disturbed son. Although Keith had enough anger saved for Cassidy, he held even more for the adults in the boy's life who help mold the young man into the person he was. Even Dick Jr. was the product of his upbringing. The 09ers' belief that they were both above the law and better than everyone else burned Keith. It made him regret more than ever his lack of official power to do anything about it. However, Keith would at least tell Dick Sr. exactly what he thought of his poor parenting skills.

Keith slipped out of the courtroom, knowing that he needed to wait until Dick Sr.'s attorney was gone. A few minutes later, both Casablancas were walking out of the court house. Keith approached them from the side.

"Richard," Keith called out, getting both guys' attention. They turned to face him. Dick looked scared and nervous while his father just looked resigned.

"Keith," Richard stated.

"I hope your son gets the help he needs," Keith said, surprising both of them.

"Ah, thanks," Richard replied. "I'm sorry about this entire mess. I had no idea."

"Neither did I," Keith said grimly. "Both our children were covering up how they were victimized. The difference being my daughter was doing it out of love for me, wanting to spare me. Your son was terrified you'd make his life more miserable than you and his brother already do." Keith glanced over at Dick, who looked down in shame.

"It's not your place to pass judgment on what goes on in my family," Richard said firmly.

"It is when the way you run your family hurts my daughter. You've raised two sons with screwed up morals and an inflated sense of entitlement. Instead of wasting your time and resources wooing a much younger woman, maybe you should pay more attention to both your children and your businesses," Keith said with a warning tone.

"What's that supposed to mean?" Richard asked, catching Keith's tone.

"I have some very clever friends who owe me favors," Keith said. "And when I found out how a group of 09ers were allowed to have a party without any adult supervision, I decided to have some friends look closely at the finances of these parents, yourself included. Because someone is going to pay for what happened to my daughter, and punishing an obviously disturbed teen doesn't sit right with me. Cassidy is a victim in some ways. He was barely a teen doing what his older brother told him to do." Keith glared at Dick, who took a fearful step back. "But again, the older brother was brought up by a father who never taught him how to treat a woman with respect, to watch out for the weaker. Instead, you taught your son to belittle anyone he wanted and hurt those that were weaker."

"You need to watch what you're saying," Richard said angrily. "I'll have you brought up on slander charges!"

"Try," Keith said with a careless shrug. He took a step forward, purposely invading Richard's personal space. "However, you're the one that needs to watch it. You may want to make sure all your businesses are not violating any codes or ordinances because I plan on crawling into everyone of your orifices. By the time I'm done with you and your family, there will be no secret I won't know about and no rock you can hide under from me. And if you even think of running, remember what I do for a living. I know how to find scum no matter where they try and hide." Keith gave him one last grim glare so that Richard would know exactly what he meant, and then he turned and walked away.

"Dude, I thought his daughter was scary!" Dick exclaimed, letting out a nervous laugh.

Dick Sr. didn't reply. He just looked at Keith's retreating back, his mind racing. Surely, Keith was just blowing smoke. There's no way he could know about his Phoenix project. They were just getting all the pieces in place. However, he knew the man well enough to know how relentless he was. Evidence of that was made clear when he investigated Lilly Kane's murder. Not even losing his job stopped his pursuit of the truth, and in the end, he found it. Dick Sr. couldn't blame Keith for his anger. If he had a daughter, he'd feel the same way. He looked over at his first born that he loved more than anything. Maybe handing his son everything wasn't the best thing. But what father didn't want to give their first born everything?

***** _The Next Day*_ *****

"Happy Birthday, sweetheart!" Keith said to Veronica who came out of her bedroom after her shower. He went over to her to give her a hug. "How does it feel to be eighteen? Feel ready to make life changing decisions and only have yourself to blame?"

Veronica gave her dad a rueful smile. "I thought it was always my fault anyway? Are you telling me that all this time I was supposed to be blaming you?" she asked in mock outrage.

"Too late now! You're on your own, kid!" he said with a teasing grin.

Veronica chuckled and shook her head. "Abandoned already. Well, at least feed me properly. Dinner's at seven tonight, right?" Veronica asked.

"Yes, I thought you and I would drive over to Alicia's. We can all fit into one car. Did you invite Logan?" her dad asked.

"It's nice of you to ask, but no, I didn't. He has plans for tomorrow night to celebrate my birthday. I thought you may need some more time," Veronica said.

Keith grimaced. He wanted to say a whole lot about the touchy subject of her dating Logan Echolls. However, it was her birthday, and he knew that his talk could wait. "I think that you and I need to have a serious talk about the subject of Logan, but it can wait. I know he's important to you, and I do trust your judgment. But I also hope that you take your time and don't let things go too far until you've really had time to process what all has happened the past week. I know you've had more time than I have, but it can't be easy knowing someone you knew and spent time with hurt you."

Veronica smiled sadly. "I never truly suspected that it was Cassidy. Sean or Dick I would've picked. I wouldn't have been surprised if it was one of them, but Cassidy? I still can't believe it," she admitted.

Keith regretted the morose direction the conversation had taken and decided to switch gears. "It's your birthday. No serious thoughts today. Cassidy's going to get some help and be held accountable for what he did. That's all that matters. And you know that you are very loved and have a lot of people to support you if you need a shoulder," Keith said.

Veronica smiled and nodded. Then their doorbell rang. "I know how lucky I am," she said as she went to answer it.

Mac stood before her. "Hi! Happy birthday!" Mac said, flashing her dimple.

"Thanks!" Veronica replied, taking a step back and letting her in.

"It looks like you're in good hands, so I'm going to go get some work done. I'll see you this evening. Have fun," Keith said to his daughter as he grabbed his keys. "Good to see you, Mac."

"You, too," Mac said. After he left, Mac handed Veronica the gift bag she'd brought. "I wanted to give you a little something."

"You didn't have to do that, but thanks!" Veronica said happily. She loved getting gifts from people who knew and understood her. Lilly had always given her the best gifts. Instinctively, Veronica touched the necklace she wore. It was the last gift Lilly ever gave her. Veronica pulled out a rather large folded card. She grinned when she saw what it was. "A voter's registration card! Now I can actually vote for my dad the next time he runs for Sheriff!"

"It always amazes me how many eighteen-year old's don't vote," Mac said. "But there's something else in the bag. I noticed you didn't have it when I snooped through your collection."

Veronica pulled out a Pink CD. " _Missundaztood._ No, I don't have this one," Veronica said.

"Pink is awesome. I figured there's a few songs on there that could've been written by you. I know you'll love it. "Family Portrait" is the one you probably know. But "Don't Let Me Get Me" is one of my favorites," Mac shared.

"Thanks!" Veronica said. "Let's go in my room and listen to it. Then you can tell me how thing's are going with you."

A few minutes later, Veronica was sitting Indian style on her bed with Mac sitting a few feet away. The new CD was playing but not too loudly, so they could talk.

"How are you?" Mac asked, pointedly. "Your dad seems okay. Is he still mad at Logan?"

"He's not said much to me about it. I think he's processing it and planning his angle. He knows me well, so he will wait for the right time," Veronica said, a note of admiration in her voice. Her dad and she had tangled more than once, and it was always a close battle. They were so much alike that they could easily anticipate the other's moves.

Mac laughed and shook her head. "He probably also doesn't want to spoil your birthday with disagreements," she said.

"That, too!" Veronica said with a grin. "We're going to dinner tonight with the Fennel's. Logan's taking me out tomorrow."

Mac smiled. "I bet he has a good time planned. He strikes me as having a romantic soul," she commented.

"He does. More than I, that's for sure," Veronica said. "How's things with you and Weevil? Logan told me you were over for lunch on Sunday." Logan had also mentioned Weevil's concern about her friendship with Dick.

"Yes, you should've been there. It was a dinner and a show!" Mac enthused. "Logan, Weevil and Grandma Lettie were a hoot!"

"I've seen the show a few times. I know what you mean!" Veronica said, grinning.

"Weevil's grandma whacked him once for his potty mouth. I almost choked on my food!" Mac said with a cheeky grin.

"How the mighty cower in the face of female authority!" Veronica said in satisfaction.

"My mom had me invite Weevil over for dinner this Sunday," Mac shared with a frown. "I just know it's going to be humiliating. My little brother Ryan never shuts up!"

"Weevil's got two little brothers, so I'm sure he'll understand," Veronica said. "So is it official? Are you guys a couple?"

Mac looked uncomfortable and shrugged. "I'm not sure. We haven't really talked about it. He told me Monday night on the phone that he didn't like the girl he was dating spending time alone with another guy. So I know we're for sure dating," Mac said.

Veronica held up her hand. "Wait a minute! Back up! Who _else_ are you spending time with and how come I don't know?" she asked inquisitively.

"I sort of let it slip that Dick dropped in on me Monday morning after seeing Cassidy and fighting with their dad. He was really upset," Mac shared.

Veronica wasn't sure what to say. She knew that Mac was friends with Dick. Not the same as Logan was but still. They were friends. However, she would never think Dick was worth knowing. "He should be," she said starkly.

Mac's eyes pleaded with her. "Don't be mad that I talked with Dick. I know this is awful, and he's awful sometimes. But he's not like that with me, and I just feel bad for him. He really hates himself for all the crap he put his brother through and how oblivious he was," Mac said.

"Good. He needs to understand that actions have consequences. Words hurt," Veronica said flatly.

"I know they do. But it's like Dick has just woken up or grown up or something. He seems so lost and alone—I just couldn't turn him away," Mac said with a regretful look.

Veronica didn't want to upset her softhearted friend, so she asked, "What did Weevil say exactly?"

"He seemed kind of upset that Dick was in my room. I explained that he wasn't there for long," Mac said. "His reaction kind of caught me off guard."

"Guys like Weevil and Logan don't like to share. Logan's just _now_ quit glowering at Weevil whenever I talk to him. And that took Weevil pulling him from a burning building and testifying on his behalf at court!" Veronica remarked.

Mac laughed. "It's really strange for me. I've never had a boyfriend, so I don't know how to deal with male jealousy. And for him to be jealous of Dick is just too funny," Mac said.

Veronica knew how she felt. "Guys are stupid sometimes. Logan would say, 'It's not you I don't trust!' like that would make it okay. Like I couldn't resist unwanted advances. Or Weevil would ever seriously hit on me!" Veronica complained.

"I'm still surprised by all this. I feel like a fish out of water," Mac admitted. "I've always had guy friends, but I've never had guys want to date me, especially not more than one at a time. First, Cassidy and now Weevil."

"And Dick?" Veronica asked, wondering if there was something Mac wasn't telling.

"Dick?" Mac asked in surprise. "Dick doesn't like me like that! Nor would I ever want to date him!"

"I bet a month or so ago, you would've said the same thing about Weevil," Veronica pointed out. "Things change. People do. Feelings do."

Mac's eyes widened at the thought. "You can relax. I don't plan on falling in love with Dick Casablancas," Mac said dryly.

"I hope not!" Veronica said. But she'd never planned on falling for Logan either. "Just be careful with Dick. Don't let him need you too much. Then it's hard to keep your distant. If you want things to work with Weevil, make sure you create some boundaries with Dick."

Mac nodded. "I told Weevil I wouldn't be alone with Dick in my room. We'd talk out in the open on my porch the next time he came over," Mac said.

Veronica grinned. "Oh, so you plan on having Dick over? I bet Weevil didn't like that!" she said.

Mac's mouth opened slightly in surprise. That had never occurred to her. "I didn't even think!" she exclaimed. She smacked her forehead and groaned. "See, I'm so bad at this!"

"Cheer up! It could be worse. Guy problems are better than no guy!" she joked. She got up from the bed and turned up the music. "Come on! Let's dance! It's my birthday!" She pulled Mac up from the bed, causing her to laugh. She'd never seen this side of Veronica, footless and carefree. It was a nice change.

***** _*Friday Night_ ******

Veronica got ready for her date with Logan with eager anticipation. Her birthday yesterday had been so good. She had hung out with Mac. Then Duncan and Meg had dropped by. They seemed closer than ever. Meg still wasn't showing, but Veronica knew that when classes started things would get rough for her. Having Duncan by her side would ward off the worst of the negativity. They had taken her to lunch at her favorite Chinese restaurant. She had called Logan and had him join her. It didn't feel right not seeing him on her birthday. Seeing how happy he had been that she'd called made the time even more special. It'd been a long time since the three of them had hung out. Meg wasn't Lilly, but she fit with them. For a short time, she was actually able to forget the torrid mess of the past week.

Then her birthday dinner with her dad and the Fennels had been perfect. She and Wallace had not spent very much time together this summer. He always knew how to make her laugh. He just got her in a way that not even Lilly had. She wondered if Lilly would've liked him. Lilly hadn't really understood the concept of being friends with guys. She always said it was a waste. Guys were meant to be played with and then tossed aside. In so many ways, she and Lilly had been so different. Veronica always missed Lilly the most on her birthday. Her best birthday memories involved Lilly. How could she not think of her now? They used to talk a lot about what they'd do when they were finally eighteen. So many things had changed.

Her doorbell rang. She shook her head slightly to dispel the gloomy thoughts and quickly finished slipping on her shoes so that her Dad and Logan wouldn't be alone too long. Her dad was still really upset with Logan.

Logan's eyes widened a bit as he took in her appearance. Alicia had bought her a very flattering black dress for her birthday. Keith hadn't been overly excited about the gift because it only went to her mid-thigh and hugged her body in a very flattering manner. Alicia had laughed and said that she was a woman now and every woman needed one black dress they could wear anywhere. Although the dress would've looked great with her hair pinned up, she had decided to wear it down. It had been growing longer, so she'd curled it, giving her hair much more body.

"You look great!" Logan exclaimed.

She smiled. "So do you," she said. Logan had on a jacket, so he must be planning to take her some place nice.

"Have her home by 1 a.m., please," Keith said sternly. "Where are you going?"

"I'm taking her to a very nice restaurant in San Diego, so we will be out of Neptune but not too far down the road," Logan said calmly.

Keith nodded. "Call me if you need me," he said to Veronica.

"I won't, but go over to Alicia's instead of staying up worrying about me," she ordered with a grin.

"It's my job to worry about you. And I won't stop until you're old and gray!" Keith said.

Veronica laughed and took Logan's hand and led him out the door.

"At least he wasn't shooting those death glares at me," Logan said relieved.

"I told you he just needs time. Things will be fine," Veronica assured him, squeezing his hand.

"I hope San Diego is okay. I wanted to take you some place nice and choices are limited in Neptune. The nice places always have people in them that I'd rather not see or talk to," Logan said.

"Me, too, so San Diego is perfect. What's on the agenda?" she asked as they walked to his truck.

"I have a restaurant I want you to try. Then I thought we'd go to my mom's favorite place for some music and dancing. I've never taken you dancing," Logan said.

Veronica's eyes lit up. For once, her dress would be perfect!

A half hour later they were close to the Gaslamp district in San Diego. Logan pointed to the Sevilla. "I was thinking of taking you there. They have a Spanish style restaurant and a night club underneath. The music is fun and pulsating, but it can get loud," he said.

"Don't you usually have to be twenty-one to get into those?" Veronica asked.

"Not that one. Eighteen. So maybe for my birthday, we can go there. Invite our friends," Logan said.

"Don't you have a fake ID?" Veronica asked.

"Well, yes, but your dad may be the Sheriff again soon. I'm not winning any points with him these days. Taking his only daughter to places with a fake ID can't possibly be the way to win him over!" Logan pointed out.

Veronica laughed. "True."

Logan pulled up to a valet service. "I know you had Italian last night, but you are under the misimpression that Luigi's is the best Italian place in the area," Logan said.

"It is!" Veronica insisted loyally.

Logan smiled. "It is in Neptune. But Cafe Luna is the best Italian restaurant in Southern California. I promise, you're going to love it!" Logan said.

In no time at all, they were seated in the very romantic restaurant at a back corner table. Soft romantic music played quietly in the background. It was definitely much fancier than Luigi's. "It's very nice!" Veronica enthused, looking around. The menu was mouth watering. "I want one of everything!"

Logan grinned. "You have to try their Rosetta. I'm telling you it's the best thing. I'll get something else, and we can share the dishes!" Logan offered.

Veronica smiled in happy agreement. She convinced Logan to order the Penne Con Salciccia.

"Don't worry about having room for dessert. You can order something at the next place I'm taking you to," Logan said after the waiter took their order.

"Where to next?" Veronica asked excitedly.

"There's an Irish pub around the corner called Patrick's. My mom was friends with the owner. She loved going there. They play live music," Logan said.

"Ooh, what kind?" Veronica asked, intrigued.

"Blues, Soul, and Rock-n-Roll. All the best," Logan said with a grin. "We can slow dance." He gave her smoldering look.

Veronica felt herself grow warm at his regard. "We've never went dancing, have we? At least not as each other's dates!"

"No, and I don't want to wait for the Homecoming Dance," Logan said. He leaned over a gave her a lingering kiss. "I'm so lucky to have you. I want you to know that I'll never take you for granted."

Veronica gave him a warm, loving smile. "I know. You've come a long way," she said. She stroked a hand down his face, caressing him. "My bad boy is so sweet and wonderful."

The waiter interrupted their intimate moment by bringing their salads.

Forty-five minutes later, Veronica pushed back her plate and groaned. "Oh, my God! That was so divine! I am stuffed!" Veronica exclaimed.

"Admit it. I was right," Logan said smugly.

"It is definitely pretty perfect, and the Rosetta is a wee bit better than Luigi's," she grudgingly admitted.

Logan grinned and reached into his inside jacket pocket. "Now it's time for presents!" he said.

He presented Veronica with a hand-size jewelry box. "I hope you didn't get carried away," Veronica said as she accepted it.

"Nope. Not at all. It's by far the cheapest gift I could've gotten you!" Logan assured her.

Veronica knew that wasn't saying much. However, she accepted the gift with a smile and opened it. Her smile widened as she saw the simply sweet gift Logan had picked out for her. It was a silver bracelet. She picked it up to examine it. A tiny heart and silver key dangled from it.

"It's cheesy, but since you do have the key to my heart, I thought it was appropriate," Logan said.

Veronica was touched by his sweet gesture. She smiled as he put it on her wrist. He kissed her pulse. He looked at her. "I love you, Veronica. You are the best thing in my life, and I know I haven't always been the boyfriend you wanted, but I promise that no one will ever love you more," Logan said earnestly.

Veronica felt like crying. He was so unbelievably sincere and loving. How could she not love him? For the first time, Veronica didn't resist the feelings welling up inside of her. "I love you, too, Logan," she said softly.

Logan's eyes lit up in surprise at her confession. Then joy infused his countenance. He leaned his forehead against hers. "God, you don't know how much it means to me to hear you say that. I love you so much!" he said. Then he kissed her, wishing they were somewhere much more private.

A bit later, they strolled down Fifth Avenue. Logan decided a walk would be a nice way to let their food settle before dancing. The Pub wasn't very far. They held hands and watched the other couples walking past them. Veronica sighed in contentment. "Thanks for a perfect night," she said.

"Happy birthday. It's always my pleasure to celebrate the day that brought you into the world. But the night's not over yet," he said, tugging on her hand and leading her into Patrick's.

**** _*A few hours later_ ******

Veronica felt like she was sleepwalking as she said goodnight to Logan at her door. The entire night had been like this perfect dream—a dream that she never wanted to end. They had danced and swayed to the romantic music in Patrick's for two glorious hours. Veronica could not remember a more perfect night. She was happy that she'd left her hair down because things got a bit hot and heavy in Logan's car. An up-do wouldn't have survived the intense make-out session that transpired. Logan insisted on walking her to her door. "I love you," he said again before she went in. He couldn't believe she'd finally told him that she loved him, so he kept saying it, hoping to hear her say it again.

She smiled in understanding as she saw the vulnerability in his eyes. "I love you," she said, squeezing his hand. She kissed him softly one final time. "Thanks for the best night of my life."

Logan smiled happily to hear that and watched her go inside. Finally, she was his. Nothing would ever come between them again. He knew that whatever happened, she'd be with him.

For the first time, in a long time, Logan felt perfectly happy.

****** _Chapter End******_

_Did you enjoy it? Let me know. One more chapter to go!_


	40. Summer Ends

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Here's the final chapter. I tend to give Keith the words I would like to say. Forgive me if it's not what you think he'd say. I do try to stay true to the characters as best as I can. I hope you like it!

***** _*Saturday Morning*_ *****

Veronica was awakened by the delicious smell of bacon. She quickly got up, went to the bathroom, and then headed into the kitchen. She took in the surprising scene at a glance.

"Okay, what's going on here? It's not my birthday anymore!" she exclaimed as she watched her dad stir the eggs he was scrambling.

"What? A father can't make breakfast for his one and only daughter?" Keith asked in mock outrage.

"Oh, he can. But he rarely does," Veronica replied dryly as she snatched a piece of the perfectly crisp bacon. Popping it into her mouth, she gave him a suspicious glance. "So where are you going and how long will you be gone?"

"Well, I will be going on a month book tour in a few weeks, but that's it. Our book is finally going to press!" he said happily as he raked some eggs into two plates and divided the bacon. Then he reached down and pulled a pan out of the oven.

Veronica was going to ask about the book, but she got distracted by the sight of hot biscuits. "Hot biscuits? You're kidding!" she exclaimed in disbelief. "Seriously, Dad. What's wrong? Are you going to make Cliff move in and chaperone while your gone or something?"

"Actually, I want you to think about staying at Alicia's. I don't like the idea of you all alone that long," Keith said.

"I suppose. As long as I can come home to my own place on the weekends at least. I'm not sure if Wallace and I can deal with so much togetherness. A break on the weekends may be necessary to my health," she remarked with a grin.

"As long as there are no overnight male guests," he said pointedly.

Veronica nodded. "So what's going on? Why the fabulous breakfast? Not that I'm complaining!" she insisted.

"Pour some juice and quit being so suspicious!" her dad admonished.

Veronica grudgingly complied. She didn't speak again until they were both sitting across from the other at the kitchen table.

"Did you have a nice time last night?" Keith asked.

"Wonderful! We went to this amazing Italian restaurant in San Diego called Cafe Luna. The Rossetti was actually better than Luigi's. We're going to have to go there sometime. It was, of course, pricier but so worth it!" she enthused.

Keith smiled. "It must be quite a place if it can eclipse your beloved Luigi's," he observed.

"Really great! Then we went to an Irish Pub called Patrick's. They have live music," she shared.

"Patrick's? I know that place! It's been years, but your mom and I went there a few times many years ago," Keith said.

"Really? Logan said it was one of his mom's favorite places to relax. She was friends with the owner or something," Veronica said.

They spent a few minutes eating in companionable silence before Keith filled her in on the book details. Both were excited that their story was going to be told in a way that couldn't be dismissed. For once, the truth would get out.

"I expect Lamb to be removed from office by the time I get back," Keith shared. "I agreed not to bring a law suit against Lamb and the entire department if he is removed."

"Do they want you to take the job again?" Veronica asked happily.

"Probably. If I do, I'll close down the office," Keith said.

"You can't do that! I'm finally old enough to take the P. I. examine. I can run it. We can turn down all those bail jumper jobs or you can hire one of your deputies to do those jobs," Veronica suggested.

"Maybe. We'll talk about it. I got to know that I can trust you to keep me informed, and I'm not sure I can trust you to not put yourself in danger," Keith said.

Veronica winced at his words but knew they were well deserved.

Then Keith decided to change the subject and said, "I went to Cassidy's arraignment Wednesday."

"You did? Why didn't you say something?" Veronica asked in surprise.

"I thought you deserved a birthday without any shadows," he said simply.

"So what happened?" Veronica asked.

Keith told her what occurred, and she listened without interrupting.

"So only the rape charge will stick?" Veronica asked, a bit surprised.

"Well, he's not fighting it, but I know Stevens—the man prosecuting the case. He doesn't like simply locking up juveniles, so I won't be surprised if they plead down to a lesser charge. He'll make sure Cassidy gets the help he obviously needs," Keith said.

"I see," Veronica said, not sure how she felt about that.

"At least it will save you from the publicity of a trial," Keith pointed out.

"True," Veronica said. She finished eating her eggs and took her plate and rinsed it in the sink.

"Honey, let's talk about some things," Keith said, getting up and putting his plate in the sink.

Veronica eyed him warily but waited for him to say something. When he gestured for her to follow him, she did and sat next to him on the couch.

"I want to talk about some things that have been bothering me since I found out about all the secrets you have been keeping from me," Keith said grimly.

Veronica sighed in resignation. She knew her dad's failure to give her the third degree for once had been too good to be true. "I knew the cool dad was just an act!" she teased.

Keith gave her a half smile—a note of apology in it. "It's hard to be cool when you find out the person you trust the most in the world doesn't trust you or respect you," he said frankly.

Veronica's mouth opened in disbelief. "What? I trust and respect you!" she insisted.

"You do? Then why didn't you trust me enough to tell me what had happened to you? Why didn't you give me the opportunity to be there for you?" her dad said without anger. He had let go of his anger, but he couldn't quite let the hurt go as easily.

Veronica looked guilty and reached and grabbed his hand. "I trust you more than I trust anyone. Nor do I respect anyone more than you!" she assured him, honestly.

Keith gave her a searching glance and then his eyes appeared tinged with sadness. "I believe you, honey. You don't trust much at all—that's the problem. And that breaks my heart."

"I'm getting better. I trust more people today than I did a year ago," Veronica pointed out.

Keith nodded. "That's good. But it doesn't change what really bothers me. What hurts me. What makes me examine our relationship. You want to do your own thing and don't want any interference from me. My experience and judgment are only handy when you don't have all the answers," he said quietly.

Veronica opened her mouth to protest; however, she was unable to form a reply. His obvious pain hurt her, but she didn't know what to say to make him feel better. He wasn't wrong—he knew her too well. Finally, she said, "I'm sorry."

He gave her hand an affectionate squeeze. "Veronica, you are the most courageous and capable woman I've ever known. I couldn't be more proud of you," he told her.

His words made her misty-eyed. Even now when she knew he was disappointed in her, his love never fails. Before she could say anything, he continued, "I wish so much that so many truly terrible things hadn't happened to you the past two years. No parent wants their child to be forced to grow up so soon."

"It's okay, Dad. I'm okay," Veronica assured him.

"I know you are, sweetheart. But I can't help but worry. I need to know what's going through your head. What you're thinking," Keith said.

"Okay," she said, nodding.

"I know things were bad for you after Lilly died, but I wished you had told me how bad they were. How bad Logan and the other kids were to you," Keith said.

"It wasn't more than I could handle. As for Logan, he lashes out in anger when he is hurt. He felt like I betrayed him. He's never had what you and I have, Dad. Aaron was physically abusive. I'm not sure if you were aware or not, but he was. And Logan looks to his close friends to be his family," Veronica explained.

"I'm not surprised that Logan was abused by that man. However, that makes me even more concerned about your relationship with him," Keith said.

Veronica protested, "Dad.."

Keith held up his hand, cutting her off. "Let me speak, please. I know Logan's important to you. And I know you are now an adult and have the right to make your own choices in life. I just want to share some of my own experiences and insight with you if you'll allow it," he said.

Veronica nodded. How could she deny him that?

"Children of abusive parents often become abusers—you know that. And you know that Logan has had a problem with his temper and his drinking. Neither are good combinations," Keith reminded her.

"I'm the daughter of an alcoholic. Does that mean I'm going to be a drunk?" Veronica pointed out.

"You don't have impulse control issues. If you did, I'd be concerned. Nor do you have a sense of entitlement or a blatant disregard for the law when it doesn't suit you," Keith replied without missing a beat. "Look, I know Logan's come a long way. I know you are probably the most important thing in his life, and he needs you. I'm not telling you to walk away from him. I'm just wanting to make sure that you think carefully before you give him your heart. Make sure he is worthy. Because I find it disturbing how selective you are about what you forgive and forget."

"What's that supposed to mean?" Veronica asked, a bit defensively.

"Well, let's take Duncan for instance. He was your first serious boyfriend and broke up with you without an explanation, right?" Keith asked.

"Basically," she replied with a frown.

"Did you find out why?" Keith asked.

Veronica squirmed and looked very uncomfortable. She never wanted to have this conversation with her father. However, she knew he deserved to know the truth. "He thought I was his sister. His mom told him about Jake and Mom," she said frankly.

Keith's eyes widened slightly in surprise, but he just nodded. "Well, we know that's not true."

She smiled. "Yep. You can't blame anyone but yourself for how I turned out!" she teased, trying to lighten the mood some.

Keith returned her smile. Then he continued, "But at Shelly's party, Duncan still believed you were siblings?"

Veronica nodded, the smile now gone. She didn't like to be reminded of this. It was better to never think about it, recalling how thinking they were siblings had made her literally lose her lunch.

"I'm not sure there's much good I can say about a man that is physically able to have sex with a girl he believes is his sister," Keith said in obvious distaste. "You were drugged and don't remember saying yes?"

"Well, no. I don't remember anything much after arriving at the party and waking up without my underwear on," Veronica said, rubbing a hand over her eyes as if shielding the memory.

Keith nodded. "In my opinion, what Duncan did was just as much rape as what Cassidy did," Keith said grimly.

Veronica was momentarily stunned by her dad's words. "What?" she asked in disbelief. "We were together for almost a year, and I loved him. He was drugged, too! It wasn't rape!"

"Honey, if he had been as impaired as you think, he wouldn't have been physically able to perform the sex act," Keith said as plainly as he could without making either of them more uncomfortable.

Veronica had never considered that before. How would she? She knew very little about this particular subject.

"It greatly disturbs me that Duncan Kane held onto such romantic feelings toward you when he really believed you were siblings. The cowardice of him not telling you what he suspected was bad enough, but that night at the party, he knew you were so out of it that you allowed Logan to drink shots off of you," Keith reminded her. "He knew you were not capable of giving permission. I'm not trying to make things worse for you, Veronica, but I want you to really think about the people in your life. I want you to really see them, so you're not blindsided ever again."

"I guess you have a point," Veronica said slowly. "I try not to think about what happened with Duncan because I don't know how to feel about it. I loved Duncan as much as an innocent girl could ever love her first crush, her first boyfriend, her first everything. To know I gave him my virginity and didn't remember it, really hurt. It confused me, and I didn't know what to feel. I still don't."

"You didn't give him your virginity. He took it, and he did so without your permission," Keith said firmly.

"Duncan would never truly hurt me, Dad. Or want me to be hurt," Veronica defended.

"Alcohol takes away our inhibitions, sweetie. It doesn't make you do things you wouldn't do sober. It just erases good judgment," Keith replied.

Veronica frowned as she considered what her dad was saying. She thought about what Duncan did when he was drugged at the party. Then she thought about what Logan did. The night of Shelly's party Logan had been drinking, but she didn't know that he was drunk. He humiliated her, but he hadn't actually hurt her. Then she thought about their summer together. She had asked him to back off from the PCHers, and he did. He had also laid off the drinking. Pretty much doing everything she'd asked him to do because he loved her. Veronica knew it. Duncan, on the other hand, had not only not told her his suspicious about their being related, but he hadn't told her about what happened between them at the party. Was it shame or guilt that kept him so silent?

"I want you to keep that in mind when dealing with Duncan. Know that he is a weak man to his core," Keith pronounced.

"Don't you think you're being a bit harsh?" Veronica protested.

"No, I don't. You're looking at him through the memories you have of Lilly. You extend your love of her to him. But, honey, Lilly Kane was not a good person. None of the Kanes are," Keith said flatly.

Now Veronica was upset. "Don't talk about Lilly like that, Dad! She's not here anymore to defend herself!" Veronica yelled.

"And why is that? She was having an affair with her boyfriend's father and thought it'd be fun to blackmail the man, not realizing how dangerous he was," Keith pointed out.

"I know Lilly had her issues. I know she was wrong in how she treated Logan, but that's not all she was. She was so much more! She was my _best_ friend!" Veronica reminded him, wanting to cry. Her father had never said a disparaging word about Lilly before.

"I know that, honey, but I'm not sure she would've remained that if she had lived," Keith responded bluntly. "You and she were raised very differently. She treated people that she was supposed to care about callously. You never mistreat people you care about. Eventually, you would've grown tired of her cruelty and her blatant disregard for others."

"How can you say that to me?" Veronica said, clearly upset.

"Because I'm concerned with this tunnel vision you have with the people you care about. You're quick to judge and quick to defend. You were dating Logan and then quickly decided he must've killed Lilly. Was that a reflection on what you feared about him? You knew him for several years. Did you really think he was capable of killing Lilly? If so, how can you date him now? What's different?" Keith asked bluntly.

Veronica was taken aback by the direction of the conversation. She knew her father had a lot of misgivings, but she had never truly suspected the depth of them. "I know him now. Before it was always the four of us, but I never truly got to see much behind the facade he hides behind. I was afraid to trust him because he'd hurt me a lot since Lilly died. It was my fear accusing him, not real belief in his guilt," Veronica explained, clear on that point.

Keith nodded. "That's good to hear. If you have doubts about the kind of man Logan is or the kind of man he's going to be, you need to take your time. A lot's happened to you the past week, and I want you to take time to process it. Don't push it down and compartmentalize it like you normally do with everything," Keith said.

"I do tend to do that. It's just easier to not be distracted with drama," Veronica said.

"It's understandable. But if you don't take time to process all the facts, you can miss something important. You can be blindsided like I know you already have been more times than you deserve," Keith said.

Veronica gave out a loud sigh. "Why does everything have to always be so hard?" she asked her dad.

He put his arm around her and gave her shoulders a squeeze. "Because we live in a world with people. People always make it hard. Sometimes, though, working through the tangles and overcoming every obstacle that comes your way makes things easier. It makes things worthwhile. Like you do everything else, you're going to get through this, sweetheart. You'll make the decisions that are best for you. Just make sure that how you decide to handle your relationship with Logan is based on what's best for you now _and_ in the future. Not just what you feel in the moment—feelings change. But choices you make can impact your future. They can stick with you much longer than the average high school relationship," Keith said.

Veronica looked up at him, pulling away. "So you think I'm average?" she asked, offended.

"There's nothing average about you! There never has been. But rarely do high school couples spend the rest of their lives together," Keith pointed out.

"Mom didn't marry her high school boyfriend, but she obviously never got over him," Veronica reminded her dad, a sour expression on her face.

"Yeah, she made a choice. Now we are living with the choice and the negative effects of it. She couldn't let the memory of what she had with Jake go. She couldn't move on. It seems that Duncan had the same problem with you. Has Logan let go of Lilly? Does he still carrying around the hurt and anger of her betrayal? His dad's?" Keith asked.

Veronica was once again unprepared to answer her father's probing questions.

Keith, sensing her discomfort and confusion, backed off. "Okay, that's enough. I'm not trying to upset you. I just want you to really take time to think. Your senior year is starting in another week, and I want you to have the senior year you deserve, so make sure you do what's best for you. What makes you happy," Keith said. He kissed her forehead and got up. "I'm off to take Alicia and Darrel to the zoo."

"Zoo? I thought that was our thing?" Veronica asked with a pout.

"It is. You can join us. Maybe Wallace will come, and we can make it a family outing," Keith said with an eager smile.

Veronica couldn't help but smile at his enthusiasm. "So are we a family now? Things seem pretty serious between you and Alicia," Veronica inquired.

"Things are going well, but it's still early. And legally I'm still married to your mom," Keith reminded her.

"Well, maybe you shouldn't be anymore," Veronica said.

"Really? Are you sure? She might come back and decide to get help," Keith said.

Veronica shrugged. "She had her chance. She first chose Jake, then she chose the booze over me, then she chose to steal from us. It's time for us to let her go," Veronica said meaningfully.

Keith gave her a searching look before nodding. He knew what she was saying. It was his turn to let go. "So the zoo? Come with us," Keith suggested.

"Well, I'd rather not this time. I could use some Wallace time though, so I think I'll call him," Veronica said.

Her dad said goodbye, and Veronica went to get her phone. She was definitely in need of some Wallace time. He always brought her clarity.

****** _An Hour Later*_ *****

Veronica and Wallace watched Back-Up chase a bird into the water. Wallace had grumbled when Veronica called him an hour earlier insisting he didn't like to wake up before ten on a Saturday. She promised to buy him lunch after they spent some time on the beach.

"So what's up?" Wallace asked. "Are you okay?"

Veronica threw a ball for Back-Up to chase. "Yeah, I'm okay. I just had some things to work through, and I thought you could help me," she said.

"That's what I'm here for," he said. "Ying to your yang."

"We are different true, but you know how to be happy to live in the moment. I want that," Veronica said wistfully, surprising Wallace with her honesty.

"Well, you kind of live in your head a lot, so I'm not sure you can ever be as laid back as me," Wallace said with a grin.

"I know, but still," Veronica said.

"So what's got you tied up in knots? The Cassidy thing?" Wallace asked.

"No. Dad said some things to me today about my relationships with Logan and Duncan," Veronica shared.

"What did he say? Does he want you to stay away from the 09ers?" Wallace asked, not blaming Keith if he took that stance. Sometimes Wallace thought Veronica's life would've been so much better if she had never been friends with any of the 09ers, Lilly especially.

"I'm sure he'd rather I stay away from all of them," Veronica said dryly. "But I can't break up with Logan. He's become too important to me."

"He's not so bad. Better than he was," Wallace said.

"But Dad reminded me of some of his bad tendencies. Wants me to be cautious," Veronica said.

"That's understandable, isn't it?" Wallace asked.

"Yes. I don't blame him, but he doesn't know Logan the way I do. No one does," Veronica said.

Wallace stopped and looked at her. "Are you safe with him? Isn't that your dad's main concern?" Wallace asked.

"Yes, Dad thinks he's a hothead who has impulse issues and no respect for authority," Veronica said sourly.

"And that's wrong how?" Wallace said a bit incredulous.

"It's not wrong; it's just not right either," Veronica insisted. "Logan is more than a hothead, and he doesn't go off for no reason. Nor is he one of those guys always looking for a fight. And he does respect authority. He's very respectful to Lettie, and he always was to his mother. And my dad. He just doesn't suffer fools nor has a tolerance for stupidity."

"So what's the problem?" Wallace asked.

"Dad thinks that what Duncan did was rape, too. He says that Duncan couldn't have been so out of it if he was physically able to have sex with me. He knew I wasn't myself due to Dick revealing that Logan was drinking shots off of me at the party. So Duncan had to have known I was too impaired to give permission for sex," Veronica shared.

"He did what?" Wallace demanded, showing a rare glimpse of genuine anger and outrage.

"Old news," Veronica said dismissively.

"To you, maybe," Wallace said in disgust. "I'll never understand women. You complain about the bad boys when they break your heart but want them anyway. Us nice guys always finish last!"

"Aren't you dating a cute blonde?" Veronica inquired with an arch of her eyebrow.

Wallace grinned. "Yes, but we're keeping things light. Just having fun. You, on the other hand, don't know how to do either of those things!" Wallace admonished.

"We have fun!" Veronica protested.

Wallace laughed and shook his head. "We enjoy ourselves, but we're off topic. So your dad believes it was rape?" he said, prodding her.

Veronica nodded. They walked over to a bench and sat down, watching her dog play. No one was as carefree as Back-Up. A part of her really envied him. "He says that Duncan had to have known I wasn't in a position to give permission. If Duncan thought I was just drunk, he still knew I was impaired. He should've known I wouldn't have wanted my first time to be like that," Veronica shared. "Dad also doesn't like the fact that he had dumped me without a word. Basically, he says Duncan is a weak man."

"What do you think about that?" Wallace wondered.

Veronica sighed. "I'm not sure. That's the problem. I'm not sure what to think or what to feel about it all," she revealed.

"I think you're pushing yourself too hard. Who says you have to feel anything or any certain way? This happened to you. No one else. I don't think it's up to your dad or Logan or even me to tell you how to feel. You know Duncan better than your dad, but you also know your dad wouldn't say something like this if he really didn't believe it," Wallace said.

"Yeah," Veronica said, morose.

"I'm not sure why you should be in any hurry to figure it all out, especially when it's so messed up," Wallace said. "Maybe you should take a break from all the 09ers for a bit. Clear your head. Figure out how you feel."

"I know Dad would like that," Veronica said.

"You dad just wants you to be happy. So do I. And I know that you and Logan can be great together. But I also know you can be each other's worse enemy," Wallace said. "As for Duncan, he didn't impress me last year. He doesn't really impress me now. But at least he's stepping up and doing right by Meg."

"That's true. I don't want to upset Meg. She's got enough to deal with," Veronica said.

"Well, when you're ready, you should maybe talk to Duncan about this. You guys were friends once. I mean before you dated?" Wallace asked.

"Yes. The Fab Four," she replied with a far away look in her eyes and a sad smile.

"Then you should be able to talk. Just do it when you're ready," Wallace advised.

"You know you're pretty smart for a jock," Veronica said with a grin.

"Damn right!" Wallace said with his own grin.

Veronica felt better having someone to talk to—someone that had no divided loyalties or built in suspicions or prejudices. He hadn't grown up in Neptune, so he didn't have any preconceived notions. Wallace was easy going by nature and would give anyone a chance. Veronica wasn't like that, but a part of her wanted to me. That's why she found both him and Mac so appealing. Both of them were so different from herself. They didn't let much ruffle them, but they were both stronger than either realized. She was very lucky to have found such friends in the wake of all the traumatic events that had occurred the past year eighteen months.

"So why don't you tell me all about Hannah? I want to hear everything!" she encouraged, ready to change the conversation to a lighter things.

"Ah, my new favorite topic!" Wallace said happily.

****** _The Casablancas_ ******

Saturday night Dick sat on the bed in his brother's room drinking a beer and looking at the picture Mac had given Cassidy for his birthday. Dick had a nice buzz going and had wandered into his absent brother's room. He hadn't seen the picture before, but he remembered Mac telling him what she'd given him when they'd been setting up for the party. He took another drink of the beer. He wished desperately that he was drunk enough to forget. His brother's face kept flashing in his mind-the look of pain and bitterness aimed at Dick. Looking at the picture of the two of them obviously having fun together made him want to cry. He gulped down the beer. There wasn't enough beer in the world to make him forget the things he'd learned and realized the past eight days.

His dad stood in the open doorway. "What are you doing, Dick?" he asked.

Dick flashed his father an angry look. "Remembering what a lousy brother I am. Thanks to you!" Dick said angrily.

Dick Sr. raised an eyebrow. "Me?" he asked.

Dick got up from the bed and gave his dad a look of disbelief. "Yes, you! What kind of father encourages his son to be cruel to his other son? Cassidy is your son, too, Dad! I can't keep thinking of all the mean things I did to him over all the years and how much you laughed about it! What kind of father does that? He was being abused by us and then raped or whatever by that sicko Goodman. You didn't protect him! Instead, you encouraged me to be cruel to him. Why? Because he was smaller? Weaker? Don't you know that he's the one with the brains, Dad? The one that will one day make you millions. Not me. I'm not good at anything really." He gave a bitter laugh. "No, that' s not true. According to Cassidy's journal, I excel at making him hate himself and me. Thanks, Dad! I hope you're really proud! You know I really don't know who I hate more: you or me!" Dick yelled in disgust. "You know I'm not sure which is worse. Having a dad that beats you like Logan did or having you for a father!" Dick gave his dad one last loathing look and brushed past him.

Dick's dad looked at his son's retreating back, a feeling of failure and misery washing over him. Dick was right; he had failed. He was a failure as a husband, a failure at business, a failure at being a father. Richard knew that Dick was right. When he looked at his younger son, he just saw his wife's betrayal. She swore Cassidy was his son, but he never believed her. Her affair with an old boyfriend had occurred too close to when she'd gotten pregnant with Cassidy. When she'd given birth, he had wanted to believe that she was telling the truth. However, as his son grew, his doubts grew. They had very little in common. Cassidy didn't look like him. Dick's baby pictures looked exactly like his did when he was a baby. But his youngest son looked like his mother, so Richard was never sure. When she left him when the boys were ten and twelve, Richard's doubt grew. He could've found out-done a test, but he didn't. Maybe a part of him didn't want to know for sure.

Now, however, he knew that he had to do something. He had failed both his sons, but he knew how to make it up to them. Richard went down the hall to his office, determined to get some balls rolling.

**** _**Sunday*_ *****

Weevil riffled through his closet, looking for something decent to wear to dinner with Mac and her parents. Disgusted, he stomped out of the room and knocked on Logan's bedroom door.

"Come in," Logan said.

"Can I borrow a shirt?" Weevil asked, heading to the closet without waiting for Logan's response.

"Sure. I probably should go shopping and buy more clothes. I had much more to choose from before everything burned," Logan said. "If you're going to keeping going to Mac's for dinner, I should take you shopping."

Weevil just flipped him off and pulled out a short-sleeved Polo shirt.

"No long sleeves today?" Logan asked curious.

"Mac says I shouldn't hide who I am. I thought I'd test that," Weevil announced.

"Hmmm. In my experience, parents don't really like tattooed, motorcycle driving former gang members," Logan said. "You can dress up the package, but it doesn't change who you are."

"You don't think I know that? You don't think I know the likely expectancy on my relationship with Mac?" Weevil asked harshly.

"Then why are you dating her?" Logan wondered.

"She may be a perfect daughter in a typical middle class American, apple pie family, but that's not all she is. There's things about her that you don't know. Things that are surprising. She is surprising, and I like her," Weevil said bluntly.

Logan nodded and pulled out his phone. He frowned down at it.

"What's wrong?" Weevil asked.

"Veronica hasn't called me since our date Friday. When I call her, I get her voicemail. And she only texts me back. Something's wrong," Logan shared, frowning.

"Did you guys fight on your date Friday?" Weevil asked.

"No. It was the most perfect night we've ever had. She finally told me how she felt about me. Nothing she said indicated there was anything wrong," Logan said.

"She's probably just busy. You know chicks. If they can't keep us hopping, they're not happy," Weevil joked.

Logan smiled as Weevil put on the shirt. "Hey, can I talk to you about something else?" he asked Weevil.

"What?" Weevil asked.

"Well, I'm all healed, and classes are going to start back in another week. I was thinking I should probably move out," Logan said.

Weevil arched an eyebrow. "Really? You're prepared to tell my grandmother that you want to leave?" he asked.

"It's not a matter of wanting to leave but should. I should leave. I don't really belong here," Logan said.

"Not fancy enough for you, huh? Well, you lasted longer than I thought you would," Weevil said with a shrug.

Logan became annoyed. "Don't be an ass! That's not what I meant, and you know it!" Logan exclaimed.

"My grandmother will be really hurt if you try to leave," Weevil said.

The woman in question walked by the open bedroom door. "What are you two boys discussing? How will I be hurt?" Lettie asked.

"Logan thinks he should move out now that school's about to start," Weevil shared.

"What? You want to leave us? Why? What did Eli do?" she asked, giving her grandson a disapproving look.

"Why is it always my fault?" Weevil asked in offense.

"Because it usually is," she said simply.

Logan laughed. "No, he hasn't done anything. I just don't want to impose any longer. I mean, I really appreciate everything, but I should move out," Logan said.

"And go where? Do you have other family? Is your sister coming to take care of you?" Lettie asked.

Logan grinned at the idea of Trina playing mom to him. Lettie couldn't seem to let go of that particular thought. "Trina can barely take care of herself. She left me a voicemail the other day about making sure she got her share of the insurance check for the house since I got all her stuff burned up," Logan said dryly.

Lettie looked shocked. "She wasn't worried about you? I'm surprised. Trina is spoiled, but I know she loves you," Lettie insisted.

"I suppose. But she isn't going to come back to Neptune and play nurse for me. Nor would I want her to," Logan said.

"You can't stay by yourself. It's not healthy," Lettie said. "You should stay here until your home is rebuilt."

"Rebuilt? I don't have plans to rebuild," Logan said.

"Why not? That's your home. The only one you had," Lettie said.

"It was _his_. My dad's shrine to his ego. I am glad it burned down," Logan said with loathing.

"How can you say this?" Lettie asked in shock. "That was your mother's home, too. It was her that decorated it, that loved it. Don't you want to rebuild it in her memory? Not his."

"Your dad's still alive. Doesn't he have to sign off on it anyway," Weevil asked.

"True. I'm not eighteen yet. I guess I could go see him. With a pane of glass between us, I won't be able to kill him," Logan said bitterly.

"Convince him to let you rebuild, and you can rebuild the house the way you want," Weevil said with a grin. "He won't be able to do anything about it."

Logan smiled at the thought. "Good point," he said.

"Rebuild it, so I can go back to work in it. I don't like cleaning several houses a day," Lettie admitted. "I like going to the same house only."

Logan didn't like the idea that she was unhappy about work. He felt ashamed that he hadn't given much thought to what she was having to do now that his house was gone. "I'm an ass. I hadn't even thought about you having to work in places you may not like," Logan said.

"It's not your place to worry about it. I make enough. It's fine. We have enough. Don't worry," Letty said. "I don't want you to leave. Neither does Eli." She gave her son a warning look.

Weevil grinned. "Just imagine the look on the faces of all those 09ers when school starts, and it gets out that you're slumming," he said.

Lettie smacked him lightly on the back of the head. "Shame on you, Eli! We are not living in a slum!" she scolded.

Logan laughed. He loved watching Weevil got smacked by his grandmother. "Seeing you get bitch-slapped by your grandmother makes it worth it!" Logan said.

"Are you calling my grandmother a bitch?" Weevil asked, taking offense.

His grandmother smacked him again and gave Logan a disapproving look. "You boys both need to watch your mouths!" she ordered. "You stay. I take care of you. You leave when your house is rebuilt. Then I take care of your house. End of discussion." After making her pronouncement, she left the room.

"Well, that's the end of that. You're stuck with us," Weevil said, grinning. "And I wanna go with you when you go visit your dad. Imagine his face when he finds out you're staying with me!"

Logan gave a slow grin at the thought.

***** _The Mackenzies'_ *****

Mac and Weevil sat at the dinner table with her little brother sitting across from them. Her parents were on each end. So far, the dinner had been okay. Mac's parents kept up a polite line of conversation and so far had not gotten too personal with the questioning. Weevil knew it would change, and it did.

"So is the bike new?" Mac's dad, Sam, asked.

"No. I drive my grandmother's car when I'm on dates," Weevil replied easily.

"That's good," Sam said. "I like bikes, but I don't like the idea of my teenager daughter on the back of one."

"I want a motorcycle!" Ryan enthused.

"Never," Natalie said easily.

"When you're much older," Sam said.

Weevil knew that things were on a downward slide. Ryan's next observation reinforced his worries.

"Why do you have a heart on your arm?" Ryan asked, peering hard at Weevil's arm. The sleeve covered most but not all of the tattoo.

"It's a memorial for someone I loved that died," Weevil said simply.

"I didn't know guys wore hearts," Ryan said.

"Guys that aren't afraid to show they care do," Mac said in defense. However, she saw her parents exchange a look.

Ryan's next comment wasn't a surprise. "I want a tattoo," Ryan said.

Weevil mentally groaned. Mac complained often about her little brother, and now he understood why.

"Not until your eighteen," Sam said sternly.

Ryan frowned. Then he looked at his sister and grinned. "Is he your boyfriend?" Ryan asked.

Natalie saved Mac from further embarrassment by telling Ryan to go get the pie in the kitchen. He eagerly jumped up.

"Sorry about Ryan. He's young," Natalie said to Weevil.

"It's okay. I have two younger brother's. One of them is his age, and one is a bit younger," Weevil remarked.

"Dinner's great, Mom," Mac said. "But I think we've had enough." She wanted to get Weevil away before Ryan could ask anymore embarrassing questions.

"Yes, it was great. Thanks for inviting me," Weevil said, smiling at her mother.

Mac got up and pushed in her chair. "We're going to go to my room," Mac said. She grabbed Weevil's hand, practically pulling him from the table.

"Leave the door open!" Natalie called after them.

Weevil laughed as Mac fled to the sanctuary of her room. "I thought you were braver than this, Cindy," he teased.

"I want to kill my brother!" she complained. "I'm sorry about that."

"It's okay. It could've been worse," Weevil said.

Ryan appeared in the doorway. "Mac and Eli sitting in a tree. K-I-S-S-I-N-G. First, come loves, then comes marriage, then comes a baby in a baby carriage!" he sang to them. 

Mac ran after him. "Mom! I'm going to kill him!"

"Why don't we just go out to your backyard? That way they can keep an eye on us like they want, but we can have some privacy. They won't be able to hear us," Weevil suggested when she came back into the room.

Mac agreed, and they walked outside after Mac stopped and asked her mom to keep Ryan inside and away from them.

They sat down at the table her parents kept in the yard. "I'm glad you came," Mac said.

Weevil nodded but didn't say anything. Mac frowned. "Are you glad you came?" she asked, unsure.

"I like being with you doing anything," he said. She smiled. He continued, "But I'm not sure about this. Your parents didn't seem overly pleased with either my bike or the tats."

"Well, they didn't like my hair the first time I streaked it an unnatural color, but they got used to it," Mac said.

"I don't know, Mac. I know you're close to your parents, and their opinion means a lot to you," Weevil said.

"Well, yeah, but they don't make my decisions for me," Mac said.

"Maybe I'm no good for you," Weevil said grimly.

Mac got up, upset. "So you don't think I know what's good for me? You want to end this already?" she asked, surprised at his sudden about face.

Weevil reached out and grabbed her hand. He pulled her down on his lap, brushing her hair back from her neck. "No, I don't. I'm just worried about causing you problems with your parents. You're a nice girl, and I'm not really a nice guy," Weevil announced.

Mac gave him a searching look. "Yes, you are," she said confidently. If he wasn't, he wouldn't care so much about her relationship with her parents.

Weevil's slow grin had the effect it always had on her. He brushed a hand across her face in a gentle caress. "I'll try to be for you," he said. Then he kissed her.

From the kitchen window, Natalie watched the scene with a grin. Sam came up behind her. "What are you doing? Spying?" he asked. He peered out and saw his daughter sitting on Eli's lap being kissed like neither of them had ever seen before. "What's he doing?"

"What's it look like he's doing? Kissing our daughter," Natalie said with a romantic sigh.

"Well, he shouldn't be kissing her like that!" Sam declared, outraged.

Natalie laughed. "You were kissing me like that when we were fifteen!" she reminded him. "It's passed time for Cindy to have a guy notice her. She'll be eighteen in January."

"But this guy?" Sam asked doubtfully.

"No one has a better head on their shoulder than our daughter, and you know it," Natalie said. "If she likes this guy, then there's more to him."

"Maybe," Sam said doubtfully, watching the never ending kiss.

"Let's give them some privacy," Natalie said, dragging her husband away from the window.

The kiss ended finally, causing both to breath heavily. "I know you want to go slow, but I couldn't resist," Weevil said, grinning.

Mac's arm was still wrapped around his neck, her heart pounding loudly in her ears. She gave him a bemused look. "I'm not sure I can complain," she said dryly. "No one's ever kissed me like that before."

A sense of possessiveness rose up in Weevil at her admittance. "I like knowing that," he admitted. "I like that I can be your first."

"You would be, you know," she said meaningfully, not talking about just kissing.

He grabbed her hand and kissed it. "I won't rush you or take you for granted," he promised her. "We'll go at your pace. But I want you to be able to answer the question Ryan asked you with a yes. I want you to be my girlfriend."

Mac smiled. "Well, I guess I can agree to that, especially since I like kissing you," she said, flashing her dimple at him.

Weevil knew an invitation when he heard one and kissed her again.

An hour later, Weevil left her house feeling good. Cindy Mackenzie was full of surprises, and he liked her more all the time. He knew that if things were going to work, he needed to make some changes. He knew she'd be worth it, so the sacrifice would be worth it.

***** _The Next Day_ *****

Veronica knew she couldn't keep avoiding Logan, so she gathered up her courage and went to see him Monday afternoon after her shift at work. Logan smiled to see her and leaned down to kiss her.

She returned the kiss. "Sorry to drop by without calling, but I got off work and wanted to talk to you before I went home," Veronica said.

Logan pulled her inside and straight to his room. "You can come over anytime," he said, shutting his bedroom door. He wasted no time in kissing her, pulling her down onto his lap. "I missed you," he said.

Veronica pushed at his chest, trying to get some space between them. "I missed you, too," she said. She moved off of him and sat down next to him on the bed.

Logan frowned at her actions. Why did she want space between them? "What's wrong? Why did you move?" he asked.

"I can't think straight when you're kissing me like that," she admitted with a rueful grin.

"I'm glad to hear I haven't lost my touch," Logan said with a cocky grin.

"I don't think it's possible," she said. "But I want to talk, so space is needed." She turned sideways, so she was facing him.

“Is everything okay?” he asked, feeling anxious. Did Keith tell her to end things?

"I need some time, Logan, to work through some things," she said.

"What does that mean?" he asked, not liking the sound of it.

"My dad and I talked Saturday about some things," she shared.

"He wants you to break up with me?" Logan asked, jumping to the worse conclusion and his greatest fear.

"No!" she assured him. "He just said some things that made me take a good look at myself and the choices I make and the people in my life."

"Like me?" Logan asked sourly.

"And Duncan. Dad said that Duncan's actions weren't any different than Cassidy's," Veronica shared.

Logan was caught off guard by her revelation. "Really?" he asked.

"Dad heard Dick's big mouth when he said you were drinking shots off of me at Shelly's party. He knows that Duncan stopped you, so he says that Duncan had to have known I was impaired and not able to give permission for sex," Veronica said.

Logan found himself fighting off a sudden rage as he realized that Keith had a good point—a point he had never considered. "I hadn't thought of that," Logan confessed.

"He also said that if Duncan had been too out of it, he wouldn't have been able to have sex with me at all," Veronica shared. "Is that true?"

Logan's mouth opened in surprise as he thought about it. He got up suddenly and looked down at her. "I'm going to kill him!" he declared angrily.

Veronica grabbed his hand and pulled him back down. "Calm down. The last thing I need is you causing more problems. I've got enough to deal with," she said.

Logan looked disgruntled and frowned at her. "You aren't going to do anything?" he asked. "You expect me to not either?"

"I expect you to let me deal with it. I don't want to upset Meg. She's in her first trimester and doesn't need any upset. I can handle Duncan," Veronica said, giving him a warning look.

"What else did your dad say?" Logan asked.

"He said a lot of things. He doesn't have a good opinion of the Kanes, not even Lilly," Veronica said sourly.

Logan was surprised and knew that probably upset Veronica more than the Duncan stuff. "Well, he didn't know her like we did," Logan said loyally.

"He couldn't help but point out that she was dead because she was doing inappropriate things with your father then tried to blackmail him," Veronica said.

"So she deserved it?" Logan asked, angry at what her dad was implying.

"That's not what he was saying. He just thinks that our choices bring about certain outcomes, and her bad choices brought her a bad outcome," Veronica said.

Logan was really good at reading between the lines. "So what does he think about your choice to date me? I bet he wants you to break up with me," Logan said in disgust.

"He knows I'm not going to do that, and he knows how good I am for you," she said with a reassuring smile.

"You are," Logan said, taking her hand.

Veronica squeezed his hand. "But I do need some time, Logan. Some space to process all that's happened. What my dad said," she told him.

Logan frowned, not liking the sound of that. "What do you mean space? Like you want us to go on a Ross and Rachel type break? 'Cause that didn't end well for them," Logan said upset.

"Not a break. Just space and time. I need it, Logan. I got to work through all this, and it's hard to do with you so close," Veronica said.

"Oh, I didn't realize I was such a burden," Logan said bitterly. He got up and moved away from her, giving her his back.

Veronica got up and moved behind him. She put her hand on his shoulder and turned him back around. "Logan, look at me," she ordered.

He turned and gave her a sad look. 

"I don't want to lose you," she said.

"You told me you loved me just two days ago, and now you suddenly want space. How am I supposed to take this, Veronica? Tell me," he demanded harshly.

"I meant it, Logan. I do love you. I don't want to lose you either0, but I also know my Dad's right. I do have blinders on sometimes. I don't know what to think about Duncan. How do I process that? I don't want leftover baggage to taint us. My dad reminded me of how quick I was to believe you had killed Lilly," she shared. "I have issues."

"Well, he's right about that," Logan said, a reluctant smile on his lips. "But everyone has issues. We should work through them together."

"And we will. I just need some time. When I'm with you, I can't think of much else. I need to see how I feel about things, Logan. Please, don't be hurt," she said. "I can't lose you."

Her real fear that she might was reflected in her eyes. Logan was relieved to see it. He pulled her against him and hugged her tightly. "You won't. I'm not going anywhere," he told her. "Take as much time as you need. I love you." He pulled back and looked at her and said it again. "I love you, and I'll wait as long as you need."

Her relief was obvious, so he couldn't resist kissing her. In no time, the kiss became heated. Veronica broke it off and took a step back. "See, this is what I'm talking about. I am so ready to have sex with you. Or at least my body is," Veronica admitted.

"Do you see me complaining?" Logan said with a smug grin.

"But I don't want us to take that step until I've processed things. I want our first time to be free of all the stuff that has happened," Veronica said.

Logan could understand that and reluctantly nodded. "It's okay. I don't want you to ever regret anything between us. Take as much time as you need," Logan said even as a part of shut down at the thought.

Veronica knew him; she understood his insecurities. She put her hand on his cheek. "You and I have a lot of stuff yet to do together, and I intend on us doing every single one of them more than once," she told him, giving him a cheeky grin.

He laughed. "Okay, I'll trust you as long as you don't take too much time. So do you want to hear what Weevil and Lettie talked me into doing?" Logan asked, pulling her back on the bed.

Veronica smiled, glad he wasn't going to push her away. "There's no telling, but tell me," she said. She listened as he shared his rebuilding plans. Her mind filled with so many things. Who would've believed that one day she'd be in love with Logan Echolls? She couldn't imagine her life without him, and she knew that her dad was wrong about him. She could trust him with her heart. She knew it deep in her bones that he'd never take advantage of her or betray her trust. Duncan's face flashed in her mind. How was she supposed to come to terms with Duncan? He wasn't anything like the person she thought he was. She pushed the thought aside and focused on Logan. At least Logan was the man she thought he was. He was so much more than she once thought. After she had been shot at the beginning of the summer, she had seriously considered ending things with him. He scared her sometimes. But now she realized how important she was to him and how important he had become to her. She hadn't expected to fall so hard for him, but she did. And she didn't want to give him up. Not for her dad or for anyone. But when they made love for the first time, she didn't want the memories of Cassidy or Duncan hanging over her. She needed to exorcise some ghosts.

She laughed easily as Logan shared Weevil's comment about Aaron's reaction to him living with the Navarros. Logan smiled at her, and she knew everything would work out. They were going to be okay.

***** _*Across Town*_ ******

Richard Casablancas sat in his car across the street from Woody Goodman's house. He had said goodbye to his fiancé, released his sons' trusts, emptied all his accounts in the U.S. and transferred all the funds to his offshore account in the Caribbean, and made all the arrangements to fly out of the country. He didn't leave a note for his sons, knowing his actions would be all the note he'd need. He watched and waited. Finally, Woody pulled up. He had his bodyguard with him. That didn't detour Richard since he was a crack shot. He wouldn't even get out of the car. He pulled the car out into the road and stopped next to Woody's car, slightly behind it. He rolled down the passenger side window and parked the car, leaving the engine running. Woody got out of his car and stopped to talk to his guard, his face directly in Richard's line of sight. Not hesitating at all, Richard pulled the trigger, hitting Woody in the head. One shot. That's all it took. Without looking back, Richard calmly put the car in drive and took off. He drove the car straight to the private airport where his plane awaited. He gave the keys to his assistant with instructions to keep it in storage, so it couldn't be traced back to him. The licensed plate had already been removed. He took off the hat and sunglasses he'd been wearing.

Then he sat down in the seat next to the window as the plane prepared to take off. He got out his cell phone and sent Dick a text. He watched the plane roll down the runway as he said goodbye to Neptune. His sons were better off without him. At least Woody wouldn't be alive to torment his youngest son. His son could know peace.

**** _*The Casablancas*_ *****

Dick's movie was interrupted with a news report. Dick choked on the drink of beer he took. Woody Goodman was dead. Shot in the head by an unknown drive-by assailant. He got out his phone to call Logan when it buzzed with an incoming text. It was from his dad. _I'm sorry, son. Cassidy can rest easy now. Tell him I'm sorry. I love you both. Dad._ Dick couldn't believe it. He looked up at the news report and then read the text again. A realization hit him. "Dad, what did you do?" he asked.

****** _The Navarros**_ ****

Logan was watching television when the news report came on. Woody Goodman had been murdered. Some angry father did the world a favor. Logan wished someone would do him a favor and get rid of his dad. Weevil came into the room. "What are you doing?" Weevil asked.

"Watching the good news. Someone killed that perv Woody Goodman," Logan said.

"No loss there. Any suspects?" Weevil asked.

"Several angry fathers and mothers, I'd guess," Logan said. "What's up with you? I didn't hear your bike."

"That's because I don't have it anymore. I sold it to buy a car," Weevil admitted.

"Really?" Logan asked in surprise.

"I had dinner last night at Mac's. If I want to date a girl like her, I can't drive around on a motorcycle," Weevil said. "Besides, school's about to start, and I'm not a PCHer anymore. My bike symbolizes them, and I'm not one of them, so the bike needed to go anyway."

"Well, show me," Logan said, getting up.

They boys went outside, so Weevil could show off is purchase. "God, Weevil, could you get a car any older?" Logan asked, laughing.

"Hey, this is a 1970 Pontiac LeMans Convertible! It's a classic," Weevil said. "A classic muscle car. I was looking at another one, but when I saw this convertible, I knew it was the one. Mac like's convertibles."

Logan smiled and went down the stairs of the porch and walked to the boat of a car. It did have nice lines. It looked like it was a faded silver or blue color. It was hard to tell. "What color is it?" Logan asked.

"It needs a new coat. I know it needs some work. But I know how to fix cars, and you're going to help," Weevil announced.

"Me? I don't know how to fix cars," Logan said. "That's what people like you are for."

"Do you want to be a useless, spoiled rich kid your entire life? Don't you want to know how to do things for yourself? It doesn't mean you have to, but you should know how at least. 'Cause if you don't, it's just plain pathetic," Weevil said with a scornful sneer.

Logan realized he had a point. Weevil leaned inside the car and pulled the hood lever. Then lifted the hood. "So let's start your first lesson. See that? That's called the engine," Weevil said, grinning and pointing.

Logan sighed and leaned in. He'd show Weevil. He could learn how to work on his lame ass car. How hard could it be?

_ ******The End*******  _

_I hope you enjoyed my tale that I started on a whim long ago. Give me a final review if you will and then I won't make you wait long before I post the sequel! ;)_


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